THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GILBERT  ACADEMY 


AND 


AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


WINSTED,  LOUISIANA 


SKETCHES  AND  INCIDENTS 


SELECTIONS  FROM  JOURNAL 

( ^VrtX/fV  3 


r   91 


,,.   ,,,     ,;NEy  YORK 
p?vii\TED  p,y  HT'TNT  i  EA-JCN 

150  FIFTH  AVENUE 


Copyright,  1892,  by 

W.    D.    GODMAN, 

WINSTED,   LA. 


Elec*fa*ype'df  >jrirrced,  an*i  bound  by 
,  r/HUNT'    fef  EATOlM, 
150  FifJti  Avenue,  New  York. 


DEDICATION. 


WE  ARE  UNSPEAKABLY  GRATEFUL  TO  GOD  FOR  HIS 
ANSWER  TO  OUR  PRAYERS. 

OUR   HEARTS   ARE   FULL   OF   THANKSGIVING   TO   THE    MANY  FRIENDS  WHO 

HAVE  AIDED   AND    ENCOURAGED   OUR   LABORS   IN   EIGHTEEN 

TOILSOME,    GLADSOME   YEARS. 

THIS     HUMBLE    VOLUME, 
THE   IMPERFECT   SIGN   AND    RECORD    OF   LABORS,    CARES,    AND    SUCCESSES, 

S$?e  Drtiiratc 

TO   THE   ENDOWMENT   OF 

GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE, 

W.  D.  GODMAN, 

A.  H.  DEXTER  GODMAN, 

INEZ  A.  GODMAN. 


4611.86 


Copyright,  1892,  by 

W.    D.   GODMAN, 

WlNSTED,    LA. 


^  >>riried,  and  bound  by 
T    fcf  EATON. 
150  Fif)t>  Avenue,  New  York. 


DEDICATION. 


WE  ARE  UNSPEAKABLY  GRATEFUL  TO  GOD  FOR  HIS 
ANSWER  TO  OUR  PRAYERS. 

OUR   HEARTS   ARE   FULL  OF  THANKSGIVING  TO  THE   MANY  FRIENDS  WHO 

HAVE   AIDED   AND    ENCOURAGED    OUR   LABORS    IN    EIGHTEEN 

TOILSOME,    GLADSOME   YEARS. 

THIS     HUMBLE    VOLUME, 
THE   IMPERFECT   SIGN   AND    RECORD    OF    LABORS,    CARES,    AND    SUCCESSES, 

ffl®e  Betrtcate 

TO   THE   ENDOWMENT   OF 

GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE, 

W.  D.  GODMAN, 

A.  H.  DEXTER  GODMAN, 

INEZ  A.  GODMAN. 


461.166 


PREFACE. 


WE  believe  that  the  magnitude  of  the  work  in 
progress  among  our  fellow-citizens  of  African  de- 
scent in  the  Southern  States  is  not  known  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States.  The  reports  of  the 
several  societies  that  direct  the  work  of  uplift  by 
educational  and  missionary  movements  are  not 
read.  So  far  as  read  they  are  not  fully  appre- 
ciated. Imagination,  guided  by  some  analagous 
experience,  must  associate  itself  with  the  appre- 
hension of  figures  and  general  statements  before 
anyone  can  grasp  the  situation  and  comprehend 
what  teachers  and  missionaries  are  actually  doing 
and  achieving. 

In  effect  we  workers  are  in  a  foreign  land.  In 
fact,  our  work  is  home  work  of  the  most  intimate 
kind.  The  economic  and  the  moral  conditions 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States  are  as  directly 
and  as  effectually  influenced  by  the  status  and  the 
habits  of  life  of  our  colored  citizens  as  by  the  ac- 
tivities and  the  character  of  any  other  seven  mil- 


6  PREFACE. 

lions  in  our  great  aggregate  of  population.  Peace, 
good  order,  strict  morality,  temperance,  and  thrift 
signify  in  Louisiana  just  what  they  do  in  Massa- 
chusetts. It  is  just  as  vital  to  the  integrity  of  the 
American  republic  to  reduce  vice  to  a  minimum 
among  the  blacks  of  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  or 
Georgia,  as  to  do  the  same  thing  in  the  slums  in 
the  city  of  New  York.  The  nation  has  just  as 
real  and  serious  an  interest  in  making  lynching 
in  the  rural  districts  of  the  South  impracticable 
as  it  has  in  correcting  and  preventing  riots  and 
bloodshed  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

In  view  of  such  considerations  it  is  well  the 
people  of  North  and  South  should  study  the 
problem,  or  problems,  that  we  are  trying  to  solve. 
To  help  them  in  this  study  is  a  leading  aim  in  the 
presentation  to  the  public  of  this  unpretending 
volume.  Many  things  herein  may  seem  to  the 
casual  reader  quite  trivial  and  very  personal ;  yet 
we  are  modestly  inclined  to  think  that  every  item 
and  every  incident  will  give  the  intelligent  inquirer 
some  real  and  valuable  light  on  the  situation. 
This  is,  at  least,  our  hope.  We  hope,  too,  that 
this  little  book  may  find  favor  with  all  lovers  of 
humanity  and  with  all  truly  patriotic  citizens  be- 
cause of  the  end  to  which  it  is  devoted. 


PREFACE.  7 

Gilbert  Academy  and  Agricultural  College  is 
already  a  great  power  for  good  in  Louisiana.  In 
the  language  of  Hon.  D.  Caffery,  a  very  distin- 
guished and  influential  citizen  of  that  State,  "  No 
people  on  the  globe  stand  more  in  need  of  the 
stimulating  effects  of  mental  discipline  than  the 
colored  people.  Any  endowment  of  schools  es- 
tablished to  educate  them  by  large-hearted  and 
big-brained  philanthropists  reflects  as  much  luster 
on  them  as  it  confers  incalculable  benefits  on  the 
beneficiaries.  Gilbert  Seminary  will  be  a  power 
in  the  land  to  elevate  the  ignorant  and  enlighten 
the  benighted." 

This  institution  has  furnished  to  State  and 
Church  as  many  influential,  capable,  and  useful 
men  and  women  of  the  colored  race  as  any  other 
institution  that  can  be  named  in  Louisiana.  We 
earnestly  desire  to  see  its  usefulness  increased. 
We  desire  to  enlarge  its  facilities.  We  aim  at 
stability  and  perpetuity.  It  must  not  be  left  de- 
pendent on  the  fluctuating  offerings  of  charity. 
These  have  been  and  are  rich,  and  causes  of  much 
rejoicing  and  gratitude ;  but  in  addition  to  these 
pleasing,  gracious  contributions,  that  speak  so 
much  for  the  loyalty,  humanity,  and  benevolence 
of  American  Christians,  there  should  be  a  perma- 


5  PREFACE. 

nent,  imperishable  fund.  This  will  keep  away 
adversity  in  days  of  poor  crops  and  changing 
markets,  and  will  substitute  the  consciousness  of 
strength  for  the  fears  of  weakness. 

Trusting,  therefore,  in  God's  goodness  and  in 
the  large-heartedness  of  the  American  people,  we 
launch  our  little  ship. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGB 

HON.  WILLIAM  L.  GILBERT 13 

WHY  HELP  OUR  COLORED  BROTHER? 29 

REV.  EMPEROR  WILLIAMS 46 

THE  STORY  OF  GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 49 

EXTRACTS  FROM  A  HISTORY  OF  THE  ORPHANS'  HOME  SOCI- 
ETY   53 

AN  APPEAL  TO  CHRISTIANS 68 

THE  ORPHANS'  HOME  SOCIETY  OF  LOUISIANA 73 

REV.  J.  T.  B.  LABAU 78 

OPENING  OF  LA  TECHE  SEMINARY 80 

FATHER  GRE::N  (REV.  HENRY  GREEN) 83 

A  FATHER 85 

THE  PREACHER'S  SEVERITY 90 

A  PUZZLE 90 

A  TOUCHING  RELIGIOUS  SERVICE 91 

A  NOISY  MEETING 92 

SOME  PREACHING 93 

THE  DEVIL  TAKETH  AWAY 93 

SOME  SAYINGS 95 

REV.  STEVEN  DUNCAN 95 

NEW  ORLEANS  UNIVERSITY 103 

CONVERSATION    ON    STEAMER — TWO    SOUTHERN    WHITE 

MEN 103 

A  DAY'S  OCCUPATION 105 


IO  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

A  PREACHERS'  MEETING  IN  NEW  ORLEANS  1 10 

CONVERSATION  WITH  MR.  R ,  IN  NEW  ORLEANS 115 

CONDITION  OF  SOME 117 

NEW  ORLEANS,  1877 117 

A  CRANK 1 18 

A  LAD  WHO  BECAME  A  CHRISTIAN 119 

BOY  SOLDIERS 122 

A  PRESCRIPTION 123 

DAILY  GLEANING 124 

REV.  J.  W.  E.  BOWEN 132 

LA  TECHE  TRACT,  No.  i 141 

REV.  ERNEST  LYON,  A.M 149 

FRESH  BENEFACTIONS 151 

FINANCIAL  HISTORY,  1875-1892 153 

PROPERTY 156 

PLANS  OF  DEVELOPMENT 157 

AN  ENTRY  IN  THE  JOURNAL 165 

A  VISIT 179 

CASTE 183 

POWER 184 

SUPERSTITION 1 89 

A  NIGHT'S  EXPERIENCE 191 

ART  AND  CHARITY 196 

SOMETHING  FOUND 202 

BIRTHDAY 204 

PRAISE 205 

GLORIES 2  36 

SUFFERING 219 

A  STRUGGLE  UPWARD  ...    220 

THE  VOICE 227 

REV.  MADISON  C.  B.  MASON,  A.M 234 

BEHOLD  THE  LAMB  OF  GOD 236 

REV.  E.  B.  RICHARDS 246 


CONTENTS.  I  I 

PAGE 

ISAIAH  EUGENE  MULLON,  A.M.,  M.D 247 

A  BASKET  MEETING 250 

PATSY. 267 

CHAPTER  I. — CHAOS 268 

CHAPTER  II 274 

LILY 286 

THE  DIARY 287 

LETTER 292 

To  MRS.  D ,  IN  PHILADELPHIA 293 

STORY  OF  THE  LITTLE  WHITE  BABY 293 

NOTES  ABOUT  THE  TEMPERANCE  SOCIETY 296 

WAITING 301 

GENERAL  SHOWING  OF  RESULTS  OF  ELEVEN  YEARS 303 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRICULTURALCOLLEGE,  FRONTISPIECE 

FACING   PAGE 

HON.  W.  L.  GILBERT 13 

REV.  EMPEROR  WILLIAMS 46 

DOWN  THE  BAYOU 61 

REV.  J.  T.  B.  LABAU  78 

REV.  J.  W.  E.  BOWEN 132 

REV.  E.  LYON,  A.M 149 

INDUSTRIAL  BUILDING  159 

REV.  MADISON  C.  B.  MASON 234 

REV.  E.  B.  RICHARDS 246 

MRS.  E.  B.  RICHARDS 247 

PROFESSOR  I.  EUGENE  MULLON.  A.M.,  M.D 249 

TECHE  LILIES 274 

RESIDENCE  OF  S.  M.  BAKER 303 

GILBERT  HALL  AND  ANNEX,  CHAPEL,  SMITH  HALL 305 


J 


HON.  W.  L.   GILBERT. 


GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE. 


HON.  WILLIAM  L.  GILBERT. 

GILBERT,  WILLIAM  L.,  of  Winsted,  Conn., 
was  born  in  Litchfield,  Litchfield  County,  Conn., 
December  30,  1806.  His  father,  James  Gilbert, 
was  born  in  the  same  State,  in  the  town  of 
Woodbridge.  He  was  by  occupation  a  farmer, 
and  died  in  Litchfield  in  the  year  1840.  His 
mother,  Abigail  Kinney,  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton, in  the  same  county,  and  died  in  Winsted  in 
the  year  1873,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-four 
years. 

The  first  twenty-two  years  of  his  life  William 
L.  passed  chiefly  at  home,  employed  during  the 
summer  months  in  labor  with  his  father  on  the 
farm,  and  in  winter  in  such  district  or  academy 
schools  as  the  country  at  that  time  furnished. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Gilbert  may  be  briefly 
told.  He  was  married  in  the  year  1835  to  Cla- 
rinda  K.  Hine,  of  Washington,  Conn.,  who  died  in 


14  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

the  year  1874.  The  fruits  of  this  marriage  were 
three  children,  all  of  whom  died  previous  to  1860. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  E.  Westcott,  of 
New  London,  Conn.,  in  the  year  1876.  As  a 
citizen,  although  never  a  violent  political  partisan, 
he  always  acted  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
was  twice  elected  to  represent  that  party  in  the 
Legislature  of  the  State,  and  was  largely  instru- 
mental during  his  first  term  in  gaining  from  that 
body  the  charter  of  the  Winsted  Bank,  and  in  his 
second  that  of  the  Connecticut  Western  Railroad. 

But  the  sphere  in  which  Mr.  Gilbert  was  most 
widely  known  and  respected  is  business.  It  may 
be  instructive  to  notice  those  personal  character- 
istics of  his  to  which  he  is  indebted  for  eminent 
success.  Endowed  by  nature  with  an  excellent 
constitution,  capable  of  the  most  intense  and  pro- 
tracted exertion,  with  good  habits  and  correct 
moral  principles  inculcated  by  his  parents,  Mr. 
Gilbert  brought  to  the  business  of  his  life  great 
concentration,  an  indomitable  will,  unwearied  in- 
dustry, strict  integrity,  and  common  sense  To 
these  qualities  he  owes  his  success  rather  than  to 
exceptional  advantages  of  birth,  wealth,  friends,  or 
fickle  fortune. 

Mr.    Gilbert    commenced    business    soon    after 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  15 

reaching  his  majority  without  a  dollar  which  he 
could  call  his  own  or  a  single  relative  or  friend 
on  whom  he  could  call  for  pecuniary  aid.  In  the 
year  1828,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law, 
George  Marsh,  for  the  manufacture  of  clocks. 
His  contribution  to  the  capital  invested  in  the 
firm  was  three  hundred  dollars,  all  of  which  was 
borrowed.  With  these  small  means  the  firm  com- 
menced business  in  the  town  of  Bristol,  Conn.  For 
the  want  of  capital  they  began  by  making  only 
parts  of  clocks  for  the  older  firm  of  Jerome  & 
Darrow.  This  fraternal  association  continued 
three  years,  during  which,  by  industry  and  econ- 
omy, the  means  of  these  young  men  had  been  so 
far  improved,  and  by  close  application  to  business 
so  much  experience  had  been  gained,  that  they 
thought  themselves  competent  to  the  manufacture 
of  a  whole  clock.  With  these  larger  views  the 
firm  removed  to  the  adjoining  town  of  Farming- 
ton,  where  they  became  regular  clock  manufac- 
turers, and  prosecuted  the  business  successfully 
until  the  fall  of  1835,  when  Mr.  Gilbert  returned 
to  Bristol  and  resumed  the  same  business  in  a 
new  firm,  entitled  Birge,  Gilbert  &  Co.  This  firm 
continued  to  prosper  until  1839,  when  he  became 


1 6  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

a  member  of  the  firm  of  Gilbert,  Grant  &  Co. 
This  last  was  only  a  temporary  arrangement,  and 
in  1841  Mr.  Gilbert  removed  to  Winsted,  pur- 
chased a  clock  factory,  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  Lucius  Clark  and  Ezra  Baldwin.  At  the 
end  of  four  years  he  bought  out  the  interests  of 
his  partners  and  conducted  the  business  three 
years  alone,  when  Clark  repurchased  an  interest, 
forming  the  firm  of  Gilbert  &  Clark,  which  con- 
tinued three  years.  In  1851  Issac  B.  Woodruff 
was  admitted  into  the  partnership,  and  continued 
a  member  of  the  firm  until  Mr.  Gilbert's  death. 
From  the  year  1857  to  1862  they  were  associated 
in  manufacturing  clocks  in  Ansonia,  Conn.,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  business  continued  in  Winsted. 
They  were  also  extensively  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  clock  movements  in  the  city  of  Wil- 
liamsburg,  N.  Y.,  from  1863  to  1871. 

In  the  year  1866  he  organized  a  joint  stock 
company,  called  the  Gilbert  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, for  the  prosecution  of  the  business  in  Win- 
sted. The  business  of  Mr.  Gilbert  had  now 
become  large,  increasing,  and  prosperous,  and 
continued  so  until  1871,  at  which  date  the  factory 
buildings  were  consumed  by  fire.  Mr.  Gilbert 
then  obtained  a  special  charter  of  the  State  for 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  I/ 

the  manufacture  of  clocks  under  the  name  of 
William  L.  Gilbert  Clock  Company.  The  facto- 
ries were  rebuilt  on  a  much  larger  scale,  better 
adapted  to  their  object,  and  containing  all  those 
improvements  suggested  by  long  experience  in 
the  business.  The  buildings  were  of  brick,  built 
in  the  most  substantial  manner,  four  stories  high, 
and  between  three  and  four  hundred  feet  in 
length,  furnished  with  the  best  machinery  known, 
and  accommodating  four  hundred  operatives.  It 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  factories  for  the 
manufacture  of  clocks  in  the  State.  Mr.  Gilbert 
held  the  presidency  of  the  company  as  long  as 
he  lived.  It  has  had  a  continued  prosperity, 
even  through  those  financial  revulsions  preceding 
the  year  1857,  which,  with  a  single  exception, 
proved  fatal  to  every  rival  firm  in  the  State. 

Since  he  commenced  the  manufacture  of  clocks 
the  material  of  which  they  are  made  has  been 
changed  from  wood  to  brass  ;  the  clock  and  the 
processes  of  its  manufacture  have  been  simpli- 
fied, the  clock  greatly  improved,  the  cost  of 
manufacture  reduced,  and  the  article  sold  for  one 
fourth  of  its  former  price.  The  varieties  now 
made  are  almost  innumerable,  and  the  clocks  are 
sent  to  all  quarters  of  the  globe.  Mr.  Gilbert 


I  8  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

twice  visited  the -other  continent  in  the  interest 
of  the  business,  which  has  thus  been  enlarged, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  to  open  a  foreign  market 
for  American  clocks.  He  was  engaged  in  a  great 
number  of  other  kinds  of  manufacturing  busi- 
ness in  various  places,  most  of  which  proved 
successful. 

In  1867  Mr.  Gilbert  formed  a  partnership  with 
Henry  Gay,  late  president  of  the  Winsted  Bank, 
under  the  name  of  Gilbert  &  Gay,  and  immedi- 
ately commenced  business  in  the  building  for- 
merly occupied  by  the  old  bank.  They  carried  on 
a  large  and  successful  general  banking  business, 
also  making  loans  on  real  estate  in  the  West  to 
a  very  large  extent.  They  continued  in  that 
location  until  1874,  when  Mr.  Gilbert  was  elected 
president  and  Henry  Gay  cashier  of  the  Hurl- 
but  National  Bank  They  then  stopped  their 
general  banking  business  and  removed  their  office 
to  the  Hurlbut  National  Bank,  where  they  con- 
tinued business  until  Mr.  Gilbert's  death. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Gilbert  embarked  in  the  bank- 
ing business  came  up  the  project  of  building  a 
railroad  from  Hartford  west  to  the  New  York 
State  line  at  Millerton — an  undertaking  of  no 
small  magnitude.  Mr.  Gilbert  entered  into  the 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  19 

work  with  with  his  accustomed  energy  and  per- 
sistency, and  to  h!s  ability  and  capital  is  due,  in 
great  measure,  the  successful  completion  of  the 
road,  which,  although  not  as  yet  a  paying  invest- 
ment, has  been  a  great  advantage  to  the  towns 
in  western  Connecticut.  The  earnest  endeavor 
of  Mr.  Gilbert  to  promote  every  honorable  enter- 
prise was  always  marked  and  noted ;  and  with 
his  clear  head  and  unwavering  purpose,  to- 
gether with  his  ample  means,  he  did  his  full 
share  in  building  up  the  thriving  community  in 
which  he  so  long  resided.  At  eighty-three  years 
of  age,  more  than  half  a  century  of  which  had 
been  devoted  to  an  intensely  active  business  life, 
Mr.  Gilbert  had  survived  most  of  his  early  com- 
petitors, and  by  his  own  unaided  efforts  fairly 
earned  a  place  among  the  foremost  business  men 
of  the  State. 

Mr.  Gilbert  was  eminently  a  self-made  man — 
using  the  phrase  simply  to  express  the  fact  that 
he  did  not  receive  aid  for  his  education.  In 
truth,  every  man  that  is  made  makes  himself. 
This  did  Mr.  Gilbert.  He  attended  district  school 
when  a  boy  in  the  winter.  In  time  he  knew 
enough  to  teach  a  school  himself,  which  he  did  in 
old  Winchester,  receiving  six  dollars  a  month  for 


20  GILBERT    ACAPEMV 

salary  and  boarding  round  among  the  people. 
He  always  looked  back  with  pleasure  to  that 
period,  and  uttered  the  opinion  that  the  school 
work  done  in  those  days  was  as  good  as  that  done 
now.  He  could  not  see  but  that  the  early  edu- 
cation fitted  people  for  life  quite  as  well  as  does 
the  modern  education. 

Being  poor  at  the  beginning,  and  compelled  to 
the  strictest  economy,  he  acquired  the  habit  of 
saving.  He  could  not  brook  the  unnecessary  ex- 
penditure of  a  penny.  He  exacted  great  economy 
of  others,  and  sometimes  declined  to  help  those 
whom  he  thought  able  to  help  themselves.  If  he 
was  very  "  close  "  he  nevertheless,  by  that  very 
trait  of  life,  saved  and  accumulated  the  vast  for- 
tune by  which  he  was  enabled  to  do  so  much  good 
in  his  last  years.  To  leave  eight  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  to  the  town  where  he  had  so  long 
lived,  and  to  give  fifty  thousand  dollars  toward 
the  uplift  of  the  colored  race  in  the  South — these 
are  the  things  that  made  him  happy  in  the  wind- 
ing up  of  his  career.  He  said  he  gave  a  large 
amount  on  one  occasion  with  more  satisfaction 
than  he  would  eat  his  dinner. 

Mr.  Gilbert's  natural  affections  were  warm  and 
his  moral  convictions  very  decided.  A  lady  friend 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  21 

at  one  time  gave  way  to  intense  grief  in  his 
presence,  and  said  she  wished  to  die  and  be  rid 
of  the  burdens  of  life.  He  said  to  her:  "It  is 
wrong  for  you  to  talk  in  this  way  :  you  have  no 
right  to ;  we  must  all  live  as  long  as  the  Lord 
wills.  It  is  wicked  to  wish  for  death.  Do  you 
not  suppose  that  when  my  little  boy  died  the 
world  looked  as  dark  to  me  as  it  now  does  to  you  ? 
I  did  not  feel  that  there  was  anything  left  to  live 
for ;  but  I  had  to  go  on  and  live,  and  so  must  you." 
His  early  sorrows  drove  him  the  more  eagerly  to 
business. 

Not  long  before  his  decease,  as  he  lay  ill  on  his 
couch,  he  opened  his  heart  to  a  friend,  and  spoke 
with  a  degree  of  freedom  concerning  the  past  and 
the  future  :  "  I've  been  a  hard-working  business 
man  ;  I've  given  very  little  attention  to  my  states 
of  mind.  Have  been  too  busy  for  that.  Have 
thought  I  could  serve  God  by  doing  things  that 
ought  to  be  done.  I  never  exactly  belonged  to 
the  Church,  but  have  been,  in  all  my  manhood 
years,  connected  with  it  and  have  supported  it.  I 
can't  say  that  I  believed  everything  that  I  heard 
preached.  As  for  some  people  being  saved  from 
all  eternity — foreordained  I  believe  they  call  it — 
and  some  being  damned  from  all  eternity,  I  don't 


22  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

believe  a  word  of  it.  I  have  put  my  case  in 
God's  hands,  and  there  I  leave  it." 

His  eightieth  birthday  was  observed  by  his 
friends  as  a  day  of  rejoicing,  and  many  assembled 
at  a  dinner  in  his  honor.  On  that  occasion  prom- 
inent citizens  rose  to  testify  to  the  generosity 
with  which  Mr.  Gilbert  had  aided  them  in  the 
business  ventures  of  other  years.  At  this  festive 
board  Mr.  Gilbert,  though  an  octogenarian,  made 
his  maiden  speech.  Comparing  the  luxuries  of 
the  present  day  with  the  hard  fare  and  simple 
living  of  his  early  life,  he  said:  "In  the  winter 
I  used  to  get  up  before  daybreak,  but  I  did  not 
have  a  furnace-heated  room  to  dress  in,  nor  hot 
water  in  a  marble  basin.  I  went  out  of  doors 
and  broke  the  ice,  and  dipped  up  the  water  in  an 
iron  skillet,  and  washed  on  a  bench  under  a  tree 
with  the  whole  world  for  my  dressing  room. 
But,"  he  added,  after  a  pause,  "  those  times  were 
the  best.  The  people  were  healthier  and  happier 
than  with  all  your  modern  improvements." 

There  was  mirth  in  the  stern  man,  and  many  a 
flash  of  keen  wit  or  dry  humor.  He  enlisted 
with  some  of  his  fellow-citizens  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  shoes  at  one  time.  Some  young  men 
carried  on  the  business,  older  persons,  like  Mr. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  23 

Gilbert,  furnishing  the  bulk  of  the  capital.  At 
the  expiration  of  six  months  the  directors  were 
assembled  to  hear  a  report  from  the  managers. 
The  business  seemed  to  have  opened  well  ;  con- 
tracts were  numerous  ;  great  profits  were  looming 
up  in  the  near  future.  All  the  directors  wore  a 
smiling,  cheery  look.  Mr.  Gilbert  relaxed  his 
stern  countenance  enough  to  say,  "  Well,  gentle- 
men, I'm  really  afraid  these  men  are  going  to 
make  some  money." 

He  visited  us  in  Louisiana  in  1885.  Said  he,  "  I 
had  hard  work  to  find  you  ;  these  railroad  fellows 
pretend  they  don't  know  you."  "  They  know  well 
enough  where  the  freight  belongs,"  was  the  answer. 
When  he  and  Mrs.  Gilbert  visited  the  school — all 
being  assembled  to  greet  them — Mr.  Gilbert  said 
rather  privately,  "  You  really  think  you  can  teach 
these  folks  ? "  "  No  doubt  about  it  ;  you  will 
see."  He  made  a  little  speech  to  the  scholars,  and 
Mrs.  Gilbert  said  a  kind  word.  On  leaving  he 
said,  "  Why,  they  have  souls  very  much  like  ours, 
eh?" 

Kindness  with  him  was  something  forbidding 
in  the  outward  expression.  "  You  thought  I  was 
rough  last  fall,  did  you  not  ?  I  was  rough,  but  I 
meant  to  give  you  the  money  all  the  time."  We 


24  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

had  to  love  him.  A  Christian  black  woman  from 
Louisiana  once  sought  an  introduction  to  Mr. 
Gilbert.  When  he  had  finished  saying  "  Good 
morning,"  to  her  and  was  proceeding  with  his 
breakfast,  she  said,  "  I  ax  your  pardon,  Mr.  Gilbert, 
but  I'd  like  to  plead  with  a  man  who  has  done  so 
much  for  others  to  be  kind  to  his  own  soul."  A 
tear  glistened  in  his  eye.  He  was  silent  and 
crowded  down  his  morsel  of  bread. 

Mr.  Gilbert  was  a  strong  temperance  man.  He 
used  to  say,  "  I  drank  grog  until  I  was  twenty- 
one  ;  but  everybody  did  then,  and  there  were 
fewer  drunkards  than  now."  He  thought  it  a 
useless  habit,  and  gave  it  up  for  that  reason.  At 
the  age  of  eighty-two  years  he  made  a  forcible 
speech  before  the  county  commissioners  against 
the  granting  of  licenses.  He  was  an  enemy  of 
tobacco.  He  berated  the  folly  and  extravagance 
of  the  times.  He  yielded  willing  homage  to  true 
goodness  always.  He  loved  his  family,  and  was 
kind  and  generous  in  his  household.  One  who 
was  very  intimately  related  and  had  the  best 
opportunities  to  know  his  private  life  says  :  "  He 
was  a  very  amiable,  good-tempered  man,  wonder- 
fully forbearing  and  patient  under  provocation. 
He  had  a  remarkable  self-control.  No  one  ever 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2$ 

heard  him  use  profane  or  violent  language.  He 
never  brought  home  his  business  cares,  but  would 
look  as  serene  as  he  sat  in  his  easy-chair  as  if 
nothing  weightier  than  plowing  or  planting  had 
taxed  his  brain  that  day."*  The  man  who  was  so 
careful  to  save  even  twenty-five  cents  was  per- 
fectly composed  under  great  providential  losses. 
When  it  was  useless  to  worry  he  did  not  worry. 
He  was  once  aroused  at  night  with  the  message 
that  his  clock  factory  was  on  fire.  "  Well,"  he 
said,  "  I  don't  know  that  I  can  help  it."  He 
turned  himself  over  and  went  to  sleep.  In  ad- 
versity he  was  at  his  best  and  kept  undaunted 
courage  and  a  hopeful  spirit. 

Like  many  others  Mr.  Gilbert  enjoyed  the  ex- 
citement of  new  ventures  and  investments.  He 
often  said  that  the  pleasure  of  watching  the  de- 
velopments of  enterprise  and  of  seeing  things 
grow  was  more  than  the  money  profit.  As  years 
accumulated  he  gave  much  thought  to  the  ulti- 
mate disposition  of  his  large  fortune.  Two  ob- 
jects presented  themselves  to  him  as  having  par- 
amount claims  on  him.  They  were  (i)  the  boys 
and  girls  who  had  not  the  opportunities  of  edu- 
cation of  any  kind  ;  (2)  the  city  (Winsted)  where 

*  Mrs.  Mary  B.  Mix,  niece  of  Mrs.  Gilbert. 


26  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

he  had  so  long  lived  and  where  he  had  made  the 
greater  part  of  his  fortune. 

For  the  indigent  boys  and  girls  he  had  the 
profoundest  sympathy,  by  reason,  as  he  often  said, 
of  the  painful  experiences  of  his  boyhood  and 
early  manhood.  He  could  not  think  of  laying 
down  his  earthly  trust  without  providing  for  these 
objects  of  his  pity.  He  did  plan  nobly  for  them. 
He  erected,  with  much  study,  care,  and  labor  of 
his  own  hands,  a  home  for  poor  boys  and  girls  on 
about  twenty  acres  of  suburban  land,  in  a  beauti- 
ful spot  overlooking  West  Winsted.  He  saw  this 
home  completed,  furnished,  and  partly  filled  with 
happy  children.  His  plan  was  to  secure  the  co- 
operation of  the  towns  of  Connecticut.  The 
overseers  of  the  poor  were  invited  to  send  chil- 
dren to  the  home,  they  paying  one  dollar  per 
week  for  the  living  of  a  child,  and  he  paying  one 
dollar  per  week.  This  was  the  estimated  cost. 

After  furnishing  the  home  complete  he  left  it 
in  his  will  a  legacy  of  four  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars for  endowment.  The  interest  of  this  sum  was 
to  be  divided  into  two  equal  parts,  one  half  for 
current  expenses  and  one  half  to  be  reinvested ;  this 
policy  to  hold  for  one  hundred  years,  at  which  time 
the  endowment  would  amount  to  one  million  dol- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2  7 

lars.  A  similar  plan  was  adopted  and  ingrafted  into 
his  will  for  an  educational  institution  in  Winsted. 

Mr.  Gilbert  spent  his  last  Christmas — Decem- 
ber 25,  1889 — with  the  children  in  the  home. 
He  gave  them  a  Christmas  tree  well  laden  with 
things  to  please  them,  held  them  on  his  knee, 
trotted  them,  chatted  with  them,  laughed  at  their 
merriment,  enjoyed  their  singing — could  not  sing 
himself — and,  when  he  sat  down  at  home  after  it 
was  over,  he  said  in  his  happiness,  "  I  believe 
those  children  were  as  happy  as  if  they  had  hung 
up  their  stockings  in  their  own  homes  ;  and  very 
likely  it  was  the  first  time  that  many  of  them  ever 
had  a  Christmas  to  know  what  it  meant." 

But  it  is  within  due  bounds  to  say  that  noth- 
ing ever  done  by  Mr.  Gilbert  made  him  happier 
than  his  gifts  to  the  institution  known  formerly 
as  La  Teche  Seminary  Agricultural  College.  He 
contributed  at  different  times  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars for  buildings,  and  in  his  will  left  a  legacy  of 
forty  thousand  dollars  for  endowment. 

In  1883  the  Rev.  W.  R.  Webster,  then  of  the 
New  York  East  Annual  Conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  now  of  the  New  Hamp- 
shire Conference,  was  agent  of  La  Teche  Semi- 
nary, having  been  appointed  in  the  spring  of  1882. 


28  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

After  a  long  silence — in  the  minds  and  of  our  la- 
bors with  crops  and  school — we  received  from  him 
the  following  telegram : 

"  Hallelujah  !  Five  thousand  dollars  promised 
conditionally  ;  will  write.  W.  R.  WEBSTER." 

He  had  found  Mr.  Gilbert,  had  prayed  with 
him  and  his  family,  and  had  received  his  promise 
in  the  presence  of  witnesses.  In  due  process  of 
time  this  promise  was  fulfilled.  Referring  to  this 
gift  afterward  Mr.  Gilbert  said,"  It  gave  me  more 
pleasure  than  any  one  thing  I  have  done." 

After  making  his  will  he  visited  his  friends  in 
Canada,  where  he  had  some  business  interests, 
and  there,  having  heard  the  Master's  call,  he  sur- 
rendered his  trust  of  life  and  labor.  On  his 
dying  bed  he  told  friends  of  what  he  had  sought 
to  do  for  the  colored  people  in  Louisiana,  and 
said,  "  They  love  me  down  there."  This  stern, 
peculiar  man  wanted  love,  and  he  had  it. 

The  world  has  need  of  men  like  Mr.  Gilbert. 
The  more  of  them  the  better.  He  employed 
many  men ,  never  quarreled  with  them ;  had  no 
strikes.  He  was  strict  in  fulfilling  his  own  en- 
gagements, and  required  them  to  be  equally  so. 
He  built  houses  for  them  to  live  in,  gave  them 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  2Q 

time  wherein  to  pay,  and  aided  them  to  fulfill  con- 
tracts. By  his  own  severe  example  he  taught 
them,  how  to  save  their  earnings. 

In  the  ages  to  come  his  memory  will  be  green. 
Of  the  colored  race  especially  untold  numbers  of 
future  generations  will  u  rise  up  and  call  him 
blessed."* 


WHY  HELP  OUR  COLORED  BROTHER? 

WE  assume  that  the  man  of  African  descent  is 
our  brother.  If  any  deny,  we  do  not  write  for 
him.  Our  word  is  to  those  who  hold  the  brother- 
hood of  men.  If  any  refuse  the  Negro  a  rank  in 
the  brotherhood  such  might  still  feel  themselves 
bound  to  help  him  when  in  need,  just  as  they 
would  a  lame  horse  or  a  sick  cow.  But  we  do 
not  stand  on  that  plane  nor  address  ourselves  at 
present  to  any  who  may  stand  there. 

The  question  is,  Why  should  we  help  our  col- 
ored brother?  It  is  not  questioned  that  he  needs 
help.  But  what  help  ?  As  to  material  and  eco- 
nomic aid,  Nature,  Providence,  and  the  American 
people  have  spread  a  table,  and  he  can  help  him- 

*Many  facts  in  the  above  sketch  are  taken  from  a  sketch  by  the 
Rev.  John  Andrew. 


30  GILUERT   ACADEMY 

self.  He  is  as  free  as  the  foxes  and  the  birds. 
He  can  go  to  any  part  of  the  country  and  any- 
where find  work  and  remuneration.  He  is  rapidly 
forming  habits  of  thrift,  learning  to  appreciate  his 
opportunities,  and  acquiring  a  diversity  of  indus- 
tries. In  this  direction  true  helpfulness  is  to  em- 
ploy and  to  pay  him.  On  this  line  he  has'  hosts  of 
friends.  He  may  complain  that  his  pay  is  small 
and  that  it  sometimes  fails  by  fraud  or  accident. 
But  so  complains  the  workman  everywhere,  and 
the  Negro  simply  shares  the  common  lot. 

"'Tis  true,  'tis  pity,  and  pity  'tis,  'tis  true." 

Among  those  who  were  placed  on  plantations 
are  many  who  were  trained  as  "  men-of-all-work," 
and  are  to-day  able  to  turn  out  good  jobs  of 
blacksmithing  and  carpentry.  Among  the  young 
men  who  have  been  at  the  schools  not  a  few  are 
demonstrating  the  utility  of  the  Slater  Fund  by 
building  houses,  making  wagons  and  buggies,  and 
striking  off  jobs  of  printing.  There  is  a  consider- 
able number  of  the  educated  youth  who  are  estab- 
lishing an  excellent  record  as  teachers,  both  men 
and  women.  One,  just  to-day,  said:  "When  I 
came  here  at  the  beginning  of  last  year  I  knew 
nothing  but  to  read  and  write.  I  went  through 


AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  3! 

the  '  Graded  Lessons  in  English  '  and  the  '  Inter- 
mediate Arithmetic/  and  so  on ;  and  this  year 
I  have  taught  school  four  months  at  thirty  dollars 
a  month,  and  I  am  here  now  to  spend  the  balance 
of  the  year  in  study."  Another  young  man  who 
finished  the  grammar  school  course  two  years 
ago,  including  two  years  of  carpentry,  writes  : 
"  I  have  contracts  for  building  seven  houses." 

This  same  man  is  able  by  his  success  to  sup- 
port two  younger  brothers  at  school.  Multitudes 
of  comfortable  homes  are  now  occupied  by  fami- 
lies that  twenty  years  ago  lived  in  old-time  cabins. 
These  colored  people  are  thrifty. 

There  is  as  much  difference  between  the  new 
and  old  Negro  as  between  the  new  and  the  old 
South.  The  Yankee  has  a  world-wide  repute  for 
splitting  a  sixpence.  The  Irishman's  genius  for 
the  same  style  of  achievement  will  not  suffer  by 
comparison.  But  the  new  Negro  is  not  far  be- 
hind either  of  them.  As  for  politics,  he  seems  as 
if  born  to  it.  The  best  political  trainers  might  go 
to  school  to  the  Louisiana  colored  man.  So  then, 
in  point  of  worldly  wisdom  our  colored  brother 
can  look  out  for  himself.  The  answer  to  our 


32  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

question  is  that  we  should  help  the  colored  brother 
for  the  same  reason  that  we  would  help  any  other 
brother  who  is  in  need. 

We  do  for  the  colored  brother  for  the  same 
reasons  as  for  some  other  brother.  We  leave  our 
homes,  forsake  our  friends  and  every  dear  associ- 
ation of  life,  traverse  the  seas  and  brave  the  dan- 
gers of  unknown  climes,  encounter  the  painful 
toils  of  untried  tasks,  and  the  prejudices,  the 
superstitions,  and  the  hostilities  of  the  men  that 
are  wholly  savage,  or  but  little  civilized — all  for 
Christ's  sake.  We  have  been  baptized  with  his 
baptism,  have  felt  the  cleansing  fires  of  his  Spirit 
coursing  in  flames  through  our  souls ;  we  burn 
with  the  passion  that  courts  death  for  a  brother's 
sake.  We  plead  with  our  fellow-men  face  to 
face,  "  O  come,  ye  that  are  perishing  with  thirst 
in  the  parched  and  weary  desert,  come  to  the 
Fountain  of  living  waters.  Ye  are  dying  of 
hunger:  here  is  the  bread  of  life.  The  poison- 
ous breath  of  the  deadly  serpent  has  filled  the 
air  ye  breathe.  O  escape  for  your  lives."  We 
heed  not  danger;  we  take  our  lives  in  our  hands. 
When  the  palsy  smites  our  limbs,  when  death 
lays  his  icy  hand  on  our  vitals,  when  the  voice 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  33 

wavers  with  the  last  agonies,  and  we  can  toil  and 
suffer  for  lost  men  no  longer,  then  the  beatific 
vision  of  Him  who  died  on  the  cross  and  after- 
ward ascended  to  glory  ravishes  our  souls,  and  we 
are  glad  we  left  all  for  him ;  we  would  do  it  again 
if  we  could.  We  lie  down  in  a  jungle  or  in  a 
thatched  hut  and  find  a  short  passage  to  heaven. 

There  are  those  who  are  doing  thus  in  the 
Southern  States  among  the  Negroes.  The  condi- 
tions are  not  essentially  different.  The  main  dif- 
ference in  favor  of  the  Southern  missionary  is 
that  he  can  occasionally  run  to  the  North  and 
see  his  friends ;  or  they  can  come  South  and  see 
him.  But  this  advantage  is  offset  by  the  peculiar 
and  sometimes  dangerous  complications  in  which 
his  work  is  involved  by  popular  politics.  He 
loves  the  Negro  soul,  beholds  his  true  manhood, 
foresees  his  going  to  judgment  with  the  responsi- 
bilities of  a  man  on  him,  discerns  the  precious- 
ness  of  his  soul,  as  capable  as  any  other  soul  of 
the  cultured  intellect  and  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
He  grieves  when  he  beholds  this  immortal  being 
deceived  by  men  who  only  desire  to  use  him  for 
their  personal  ends  and  corrupted  by  those  who 
have  no  regard  to  the  final  judgment  of  God. 

2* 


34  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Here  is  one  who  is  a  good  mechanic  and  can 
point  to  many  monuments  of  his  skill  in  the  city. 
Here  is  another  who  so  skillfully  practices  medi- 
cine that  he  is  sought  by  both  white  and  black 
for  the  cure  of  the  sick.  There  is  another  who 
walked  like  a  giant  through  Euclid,  wrought  out 
clearly  and  comprehensively  the  problem  of 
lights  in  algebra,  and  calculated  the  elements  of 
the  moon's  orbit  in  astronomy ;  there  is  still 
another  who  reveled  in  classic  studies,  and  while 
serving  in  a  gentleman's  dining  room  daily  was 
reading  in  the  original  the  orations  of  Demos- 
thenes and  the  De  Officiis  of  Cicero.  There  are 
numbers  who  preach  Christ  with  understanding 
and  with  power,  and  will  give  you  a  good  critique 
on  a  chapter  in  the  Greek  New  Testament  or  a 
capable  tractate  on  the  Nicene  Creed.  What 
then?  These  men  not  worth  saving  ?  These  men 
incapable  of  education  ?  These  unfit  for  citizen- 
ship ?  These  not  of  equal  natural  endowments 
with  white  men  ? 

One  says  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  "  I'd  rather  die 
than  do  wrong."  A  woman  writes  :  "  I  saw  your 
letter  in  which  you  say,  'You  honor  the  colored 
race  enough  to  wish  them  pure.'  How  thankful 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  35 

I  am  for  that  message  !  My  heart  is  agonized  at 
what  I  behold  in  this  city.  Ah,  how  sad  that  some 
of  the  ministers  of  our  own  dear  Lord  should  so 
betray  him  to  the  demon  of  uncleanness." 

We  cannot  find  in  color  nor  in  previous  condi- 
tion a  reason  to  prefer  him  to  some  one  else. 
But  is  he  in  need?  Is  he  in  deeper  need  than 
some  other  brother  ?  Than  any  other  ?  If  his 
need  be  not  along  the  line  of  material  things  is  it 
in  the  direction  of  spiritual  things  ?  If  he  need 
moral  uplift  and  spiritual  renovation  shall  we 
strive  at  once  to  uplift  him,  or  shall  we  wait  for 
others  to  do  it  ?  Is  it  any  injustice  to  others  that 
we  should  essay  to  help  him  ?  Is  there  not  more 
sin  and  sorrow  than  all  of  us  can  possibly  alle- 
viate ?  Shall  we  not  be  thankful  to  anyone  that 
will  lend  the  helping  hand  ?  Let  an  intelligent 
Christian  survey  the  situation  and  penetrate  to 
the  bottom  facts,  and  we  assure  you  he  will  find, 
among  the  masses,  two  dark — unutterably  dark — 
and  baleful  conditions. 

The  first  is  the  dense  intellectual  night.  The 
free,  honest  exercise  of  thought  among  these  un- 
tutored masses,  in  the  search  after  truth,  is  un- 
known. You  cannot  discover  a  recognition  of 


36  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

truth  as  existing,  attainable,  or  desirable.  There 
is  no  evidence  of  a  desire  to  know  the  truth 
about  anything.  If  it  be  farming,  the  traditional 
way  is  pursued,  and  the  suggestion  of  a  better 
method  is  scouted  as  folly.  If  it  be  medicine, 
the  hum  of  the  voodoo,  burrowing  underground, 
is  preferred  to  the  advice  of  a  scientific  physician, 
and  the  stewing  of  an  "  auntie,"  who  is  authority 
in  "  drawin'  up  the  pallit,"  is  deemed  far  more  po- 
tential than  the  formulae  of  the  pharmacopoeia. 
If  it  be  morals,  and  the  law  of  chastity  be  com- 
mended and  urged,  it  is  deemed  a  sufficient  an- 
swer to  all  appeals  to  say,  "  We's  not  white  folks." 
"  Having  eyes  they  see  not."  This  scriptural  de- 
scription of  an  ancient  people  is  most  fitting  here. 
We  write  of  the  masses,  not  of  the  noble  few 
who  have  lifted  themselves  up,  or  have  been  gra- 
ciously lifted  up,  to  the  realm  where  there  is  a 
vision  of  "  the  things  which  are  not  seen." 

We  know  whereof  we  affirm.  One  man,  con- 
fronted with  his  habit  of  lying  in  the  pulpit,  said, 
"  I  no  lies  when  I  preaches  ;  only  when  I  'zorts." 
Another  said,  "  De  Lawd,  he  do  me  bad  ;  he  say, 
1  Serve  me,  'n  I'll  do  you  good.'  I  do  jes'  as  he 
say  :  whole  year  I  go  to  church  ;  I  steal  nothing  ; 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  37 

I  pay  my  debts  ;  'n  I  ax  the  Lawd  to  give  me 
sumpin',  and  he  didn't  done  it.  No ;  it  don't 
pay  to  serve  de  Lawd.  He  don'  keep  hes  word." 
A  man  who  is  in  many  things  intelligent,  and  who 
has  had  opportunities  above  many  of  his  fellows, 
sees  many  visions  of  future  events  after  they  have 
come  to  pass.  One  who  finished  a  college  course 
and  was  pastor  of  a  church  in  an  intelligent  com- 
munity prescribed  for  a  sick  youth  thus  :  "  Stand 
beside  a  certain  tree  ;  I'll  cut  a  hole  in  the  bark  of 
the  tree  at  your  head  and  inclose  under  it  a  lock 
of  your  hair  tied  with  a  woolen  thread.  After 
twenty-one  days  you  will  be  well."  He  applied 
to  the  writer  for  permission  thus  to  use  the  tree.* 
One  said  he  saw  in  a  vision  a  keg  of  gold  un- 


*  It  were  slightly  presumptuous  if  one  should  think  that  we  arro- 
gate to  the  Negro  race  a  monopoly  of  superstition.  The  privileged 
Caucasian  may  claim  preeminence  therein  as  in  so  many  other 
things.  And  to-day,  in  the  noontide  glory  of  his  civilization,  his 
millions  are  walking,  working,  suffering,  according  to  signs  in  heaven 
and  earth  and  all  the  mysteries  of  occult  lore.  The  writer  knew  a 
distinguished  divine  who  had  brought  many  souls  out  of  spiritual 
darkness  into  light,  who  also  guarded  his  steps  so  carefully  that  if  he 
were  about  to  enter  a  gateway  by  the  left  foot  immediately  turned 
about,  went  back  to  the  starting-point  of  his  excursion,  and  walked 
the  distance  over  again,  scrupulously  compelling  himself  to  reach  the 
gate  on  his  right  foot.  He  said  to  do  otherwise  would  bring  him  ill 
luck.  There  are  multitudes  of  both  white  and  colored  who  at  this 
moment  wear  amulets  and  charms  as  protectives  against  "  the  evil 
eye,"  evil  spirits,  and  various  diseases. 


461166 


38  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

der  ground  at  a  particular  spot  in  the  field.  He 
told  the  writer,  with  all  the  authority  of  a  prophet, 
to  dig  and  find.  When  we  made  him  an  offer  to 
divide  the  treasure  equally  if  he  would  dig  and 
find  he  departed  meekly  and  never  appeared 
again.  Another,  when  scourged  for  his  violation 
of  the  seventh  commandment,  said,  "  What's  the 
matter  ?  Any  harm  in  that  ?  " 

We  point  to  these  facts,  not  with  exultation, 
not  with  fault-finding,  but  with  deep  and  pungent 
grief.  The  thought  that  our  brother,  in  whose 
veins  flows  the  "one  blood,"  should  be  so  be- 
nighted gives  us  "  inward  pain."  O,  our  Father  ! 
how  comes  it  that  any  of  thy  children  should  be 
so  far  from  the  truth  ?  We  read  libraries  of  Afri- 
can tradition,  adventure,  and  travel,  finding  there 
the  same  things.  Here  they  are  relieved  by  the 
better  environments.  The  fact  that  this  terrible 
night  has  come  hither,  like  a  Tartarean  fog,  from 
the  "  Dark  Continent "  relieves  not  in  the  least  its 
gloominess,  and  furnishes  no  excuse  for  its  longer 
brooding  over  our  land. 

The  second  gloomy  fact  is  the  absence  of 
moral  feeling,  the  want  of  moral  sensibility,  the 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  39 

irresponsive  conscience.  That  one  thing  is  right 
and  another  wrong  seems  to  signify  only  that  one 
is  harmful  to  us,  the  other  beneficial.  If,  there- 
fore, the  harm  of  sin  may  be  avoided  or  escaped, 
that  sin  becomes  righteousness.  There  is  no  es- 
sential difference  between  the  right  and  the 
wrong.  We  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  do  the 
wrong  ;  we  are  fools  if  we  do  it  not,  when  we  may 
hope  to  escape  punishment.  This  is  not  with 
them  a  philosophy  of  wickedness  but  moral  stol- 
idity— the  conscience  deep  sunken  beneath  the 
burdens  of  the  flesh  and  the  animal  instincts  cul- 
tivated, on  the  one  hand  into  shrewdness,  on  the 
other  into  ferocity. 

Illicit  connections  of  men  and  women  are  not 
regarded  as  foibles  even,  and  therefore  to  be 
pitied  ;  much  less  are  they  regarded  as  crimes, 
and  therefore  to  be  condemned.  They  seem  to 
be  viewed  as  normal  until  the  moral  law  is  thrust 
forward  and  disciplined  into  them  by  years  of 
patient  drill.*  Thankfully  we  can  say  that  loving 

*  The  colored  race  cannot  claim  the  social  vice  as  their  exclusive 
heritage.  Among  all  the  races,  from  the  beginnings  of  recorded  his- 
tory, the  dominant  sin  of  the  world  has  been  sexual  uncleanness. 
When  St.  Paul  enumerates  the  works  of  the  flesh  that  militate  against 
the  Spirit  he  places,  emphatically,  at  the  head  of  the  list  "adultery." 


4O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

instruction  and  consistent  discipline  do  ultimately 
create  a  better  sentiment  and  bring  about  such  a 
social  uplift  as  to  make  it  disgraceful  in  their  own 
eyes  to  commit  fornication  and  to  establish  in  a 
young  man's  mind  a  feeling  of  compunction  if  he 
has  wronged  a  woman.  Lawful  marriage  comes 
to  a  premium,  and  a  father  says  with  pride,  "  My 
daughter  was  married  like  a  lady." 

A  clean  house  becomes  a  glory  and  a  blessing, 
and  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  who  stands  up  for 
the  family  as  God  made  it,  and  denounces  men's 
sins,  prevails  over  his  enemies,  commands  uni- 
versal favor  and  confidence,  and  sees  his  Church 
going  forward  under  heavenly  leadership  to  glori- 
ous peace. 

An  orphan  boy  with  a  charming  countenance, 
a  superior  brain,  and  a  moral  nature  budding  into 
purity  under  Christian  training  is  converted  into 
a  thug  by  the  drink  demon  and  the  gambling 
hell.  He  goes  with  reveling  companions,  and 
one  morning  his  lifeless  body  lies  by  the  rail- 
road. An  honest  man  that  once  sought  to  do 
him  good  and  to  keep  him  from  evil  ways  stands 
by  and  declares,  "  That  man  who  keeps  the  gam- 
bling hell  is  the  murderer."  But  no  one  cares. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  4! 

Two  colored  youths  quarrel  at  a  ball.  One 
shoots  and  kills  the  other.  The  murderer  is 
taken  up  by  the  crowd  and  hanged.  Some  are 
terror-stricken,  some  are  pleased.  All  seem  to 
regard  the  whole  business  as  regular.  None 
mourns  before  God  and  pleads  for  mercy.  None 
send  appeals  to  the  tribunals  of  human  justice. 
Men  sell  their  votes  at  an  election,  some  for  one 
dollar,  some  for  five  dollars.  "It  pays  to  vote, 
boys."  None  seems  to  think  God  is  displeased. 
None  questions  whether  it  is  right.  Even  the 
Gospel  minister  takes  his  five  dollars  and  says, 
"It  would  be  a  fine  thing  to  have  election  once  a 
month." 

A  man  is  a  lay  preacher  in  one  of  the  churches. 
Something  is  said  from  the  pulpit  by  the  pastor 
against  drunkenness  and  the  habit  of  tippling. 
The  favorite  bottle  of  "gin"  that  travels  to  the 
store  and  back  again  so  many  times  a  week — the 
family  palladium — is  denounced  as  the  occasion 
of  ill-temper  and  the  waster  of  the  family  means 
of  support.  The  said  lay  preacher  denounces  the 
pastor  to  the  merchant  as  the  man  that  inter- 
meddles to  the  injury  of  his  (the  merchant's) 
business.  For  the  next  step  the  wife  comes  to 


42  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

the  pastor,  holding  in  her  hand  a  printed  docu- 
ment of  familiar  look,  and  says,  "  Hyur's  yer 
license ;  Tom  don'  want  it,  it's  no  'count." 

Such  are  characteristic  facts  of  frequent  occur- 
rence, and  not  by  any  means  those  of  darkest  hue. 
There  are  such  things  as  would  make  the  very 
paper  blush  to  record,  and  some  that  would  too 
violently  shock  the  finer  feelings  of  the  cultivated 
reader.  Our  aim  in  saying  what  we  do  is  simply 
to  show  how  deeply  Satan  is  seated  here  and  how 
truly  this  is  missionary  ground.  We  write  of  the 
colored  people  and  of  the  discouraging  facts 
among  them.  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  attempt 
an  exhaustive  statement  of  these  things.  We 
omit  all  reference  to  the  embarrassments  that 
originate  in  politics — embarrassments  often  most 
perplexing,  and  such  as  no  missionary  on  foreign 
grounds  is  likely  to  encounter.  But  having  indi- 
cated briefly  the  subtleties  of  darkness  involved  in 
this  knotty  problem  of  uplift  we  take  great  delight 
in  setting  forth  some  of  the  brighter  spots  in  the 
field  of  our  outlook. 

No  one  capable  of  an  intelligent  judgment  in 
such  matters  would  for  a  moment  expect  us  to 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  43 

grasp  an  entire  community  as  a  father  lifts  his 
child  by  the  arms,  put  them  into  our  Gospel 
elevator,  and  raise  them  en  masse  toward  heaven. 
No  agency  has  ever  yet  been  known  to  do  a  thing 
like  that.  Men  do  not  rise  in  crowds — possibly 
they  do  fall  that  way.  Here,  as  everywhere  else, 
the  way  to  destruction  is  broad ;  the  road  to  life 
is  narrow.  Here,  as  elsewhere,  are  those  who  will 
not  change  for  the  better — will  not  lift  a  foot  to 
go  up  hill.  They  are  stubborn  reactionists  when- 
ever you  propose  to  improve  them  or  their  chil- 
dren. They  are  apt  in  framing  excuses  for 
indifference,  ingenious  in  devising  schemes  of 

t>  C> 

opposition.  "We's  got  along  'dout  eddication. 
De  chil'uns  can  do  jes'  as  we  done.  De  white 
folks  hab  der  way  ;  we  colo'd  folks  mus'  hab  ourn. 
As  de  book  say,  '  Ebbry  tub  mus'  stan'  on  its  own 
bottom.'  Dat  school  don'  me  no  good.  Dey 
fence  up  der  Ian'  ;  now  leg'slater  say  no  stock  run 
out ;  man  shut  up  yo'  cow,  'n  yer  have  to  pay  dol- 
lar to  git  her  agin.  'Twarn'  so  To'  dat  school 
cum.  Wat  dat  school  fur?  Don'  wan'  no  pay 
school.  Public  school  good  'nuff  for  my  chil'un. 
I  buys  one  book  for  my  gal  dis  yur.  Nex'  yur 
do  same.  Dat's  all  it  cos'."  One  who  has  had 
some  school  training  and  is  under  great  obliga- 


44  GILllERT    ACADEMY 

tions  for  aid  rendered  says,  "  The  white  folks  are 
bulldozing  the  colored.  I'm  going  to  stand  up 
for  my  race." 

Yet  good  and  permanent  results  appear.  A 
high  standard  of  morality  among  students  is 
manifested  in  the  cordial  acceptance  of  rigid  dis- 
cipline, in  the  serious  and  manly  defense  of  it,  and 
in  the  jealous  but  kind  watchfulness  over  each 
other.  When  students  object  to  the  admission 
of  applicants  whose  moral  character  may  be  open 
to  question  it  is  evident  that  social  ethics  are 
ranged  along  the  line  of  righteousness. 

When  the  Church  is  jealous  of  her  purity,  eager 
as  the  bride  of  Christ  to  keep  her  robes  "without 
spot  or  wrinkle  ;  "  when  ministers  and  members  are 
required  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and 
are  brought  to  account  if  they  do  not ;  when  it  is 
brought  to  light  that  the  pure  Church  and  the 
blameless  ministry  secure  the  public  confidence 
and  support,  then  it  is  evident  that  here,  as  else- 
where, the  truth  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  becomes 
the  leaven  of  saving  health  to  the  people. 

A  vigorous  temperance  organization  in  the 
seminary,  composed  of  two  hundred  young  peo- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  45 

pie,  men  and  women,  with  the  prohibition  badge 
and  the  triple  pledge,  enthusiastic  in  the  main- 
tenance of  their  principles  here  and  at  home,  or- 
ganizing branch  societies  during  vacations,  and, 
wondrous  to  relate,  capable  in  the  Christmas  re- 
cess of  resisting  the  fascinations  of  eggnog — this 
state  of  facts  is  a  note  of  marvelous  progress. 
There  was  recently  organized  ?  union  of  the 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union  in  our 
community.  There  came  some  who  once  were 
slaves  and  signed  the  pledge  by  making  their 
mark ;  some  of  fewer  years,  unknowing  slavery, 
who  wrote  their  own  names  to  the  pledge,  one 
acting  as  secretary  and  one  as  corresponding  secre- 
tary. In  the  public  congregation  the  opening 
prayer  was  made  by  a  colored  young  lady.  A 
white  lady  on  the  platform  declared  that  the  prayer 
was  one  of  the  richest  inspirations  of  her  life. 

There  are  public  schools  in  this  State,  many  of 
them,  especially  in  the  larger  towns,  very  good. 
They  are  usually,  in  the  rural  districts,  open  three 
months  in  the  year.  In  the  schools  for  colored 
youth  the  large  majority  of  the  good  and  capable 
teachers  received  their  training  in  schools  like 
Gilbert  Academy,  which  have  been  established  by 
private  munificence.  The  conclusion  is  that  we 


46  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

should  help  our  colored  brother — i.  Because  he 
needs  the  help ;  2.  Because  he  appreciates  it ; 
3.  Because  he  is  bringing  forth  good  fruit  from 
the  assistance  already  given. 


REV.    EMPEROR   WILLIAMS, 
Vice-President  of  Orphans'  Home  Society. 

REV.  EMPEROR  WILLIAMS  was  born  a  slave  in 
1826,  in  the  family  of  General  Gaines,  Nashville, 
Tenn.  He  went  to  Louisiana  in  1839,  and  in 
1840  was  sold  for  six  hundred  dollars  to  a  Negro. 
who  treated  him  badly.  He  was  sold  in  1841  to 
James  Mclntosh,  a  builder.  Williams  was  a  mas- 
ter mason,  and  from  1846  to  1858  was  the  trusted 
foreman  of  his  owner.  He  joined  the  Church  in 
1845.  He  had  been  promised  his  freedom  for 
years,  but  that  boon  came  in  1858  under  peculiar 
circumstances.  His  master  had  a  difficult  piece 
of  cornice  work  on  the  corner  of  Perdido  and 
Carondelet  Streets.  None  of  the  white  men  could 
put  it  up.  Williams  said  he  could,  and  his  master 
replied  that  if  he  did  he  should  have  his  freedom. 
He  took  the  plans  of  the  difficult  piece  of  work, 
laid  them  on  the  floor  of  his  cabin,  and  studied 


REV.  EMPEROR  WILLIAMS, 
Vice  President  of  Orphans'  Home  Society. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  47 

them  all  night  until  he  got  every  part  perfectly  in 
his  mind.  The  next  day  he  took  his  gang  of  men 
and  accomplished  his  difficult  work.  The  promise 
was  redeemed,  and  our  friend  was  a  free  man. 

In  1849  ne  married  a  slave  woman  who  was, 
like  himself,  a  remarkable  character.  After  he 
was  free  he  offered  two  thousand  dollars  in  gold 
for  his  wife,  but  her  owners  would  not  sell  her. 
Not  long  after,  in  1862,  General  Butler  took  New 
Orleans,  and  Emperor  Williams  got  his  wife  for 
nothing,  and  took  his  money  and  bought  him  a 
home.  We  have  many  times  enjoyed  the  hospi- 
tality of  that  home;  we  sat  by  the  deathbed  of 
that  wife,  and  a  more  beautiful  and  triumphant 
deathbed  scene  seldom  occurs. 

While  a  slave  Williams  sometimes  carried  a 
pass,  written  by  himself,  which  read  as  follows : 
"  Permit  the  boy  Emperor  to  pass  and  repass,  and 
oblige  Mr.  Williams."  His  master,  whose  name 
was  Williams,  saw  it,  and  the  following  colloquy 
took  place  : 

"  Where  did  you  learn  to  write  like  that  ?  " 

"  When  I  was  collecting  your  rent,  sir." 

"  My  name,  is  that  ?  " 

"  No,  sir;  that  is  not  your  name,  but  mine.  I 
would  not  commit  a  forgery." 


48  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

His  master  gave  him  a  seventy-five  dollar  suit 
of  clothes  and  a  nice  cane,  and  said,  "  Go  preach 
until  you  die ;  I  am  tired  of  you  and  your  God 
bothering  me  any  more."  Afterward,  when  dying, 
he  sent  for  Williams  and  told  him  that  slavery 
was  wrong  and  bade  him  good-bye. 

In  1866  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was 
reorganized  in  New  Orleans,  and  Emperor  Wil- 
liams was  one  of  the  original  twelve.  From  that 
day  to  this  he  has  been  one  of  the  trusted  advisers 
of  the  Conference.  A  large  portion  of  the  time 
he  has  been  a  presiding  elder.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Conference  of  1876,  He  is  a 
man  of  great  natural  ability,  thoroughly  trust- 
worthy, and  impartial  in  his  judgment  of  men 
and  measures.  His  education  from  books  is 
limited.  He  is  thoroughly  loyal  to  his  Church, 
and  is  free  from  race  prejudice. 

When  we  broke  ground  for  the  new  university 
building  on  St.  Charles  Avenue,  New  Orleans, 
he  was  one  of  the  speakers.  He  is  not  a  fluent 
speaker,  except  occasionally.  In  times  of  great 
enthusiasm,  and  when  deeply  moved,  the  few 
words  he  utters  make  a  profound  impression. 
Here  are  some  of  his  sentences  on  that  memor- 
able occasion.  Lifting  his  hands  to  the  heavens 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  49 

he  said  :  "  I  wonder  if  this  is  the  world  I  was  born 
in  !  For  twenty  years  I  was  a  slave  on  these 
streets.  It  was  a  penitentiary  offense  to  educate 
a  Negro.  I  have  seen  my  fellow-servants  whipped 
for  trying  to  learn  ;  but  to-day  here  am  I  on  this 
great  avenue,  in  this  great  city,  with  the  bishops 
and  elders  and  people  of  the  great  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  speaking  at  the  breaking  of 
ground  where  a  building  is  to  be  erected  for  the 
education  of  the  children  of  my  people.  I  won- 
der if  this  is  the  world  I  was  born  in  !" 


THE    STORY  OF  GILBERT  ACADEMY  AND  AGRI- 
CULTURAL COLLEGE. 

GENERAL  N.  P.  BANKS  laid  the  first  stone.  By 
a  General  Order,  in  July,  1863,  he  required  the 
commissioner  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  in  New 
Orleans  to  gather  the  neglected  and  perishing  or- 
phans of  colored  Union  soldiers  and  maintain 
them.  The  mothers  of  these  orphans  having  to 
work  out  by  the  day — often  for  the  "  Yankee  sol- 
diers," often  finding  no  work  at  all — the  children 
were  scattered  and  lost,  or  died  of  starvation. 
Some  were  found  dead  by  the  roadside,  famished 
while  the  mothers  looked  for  work. 


50  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

General  Thomas  Conway,  a  Baptist  minister,  a 
commissioner  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  laid  the 
second  stone,  putting  the  children,  about  one  hun- 
dred, first  in  the  confiscated  mansion  of  Pierre 
Soule  (who  had  represented  the  Confederate 
States  in  France),  and  afterward  established  them 
in  the  Marine  Hospital.  How  gladly,  in  those  days, 
did  the  lovers  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes  rally  'round 
the  orphans  as  a  center  of  Union  feeling,  a  mark 
of  loyalty,  a  sign  of  gratitude  to  the  nation's  de- 
fenders !  People  of  every  extraction  and  of  every 
creed  went  with  joy  to  the  hospital  to  contribute 
aid  and  to  express  their  devotion  to  an  imperiled 
and  rescued  nation.  And  now  the  third  stone 
of  the  wall  was  laid.  M.  de  Bossier,  from  Mar- 
seilles, France,  went  with  others  whose  hearts  beat 
to  the  music  of  freedom,  beheld  the  recovered  or- 
phans with  grateful  tears,  and  came  forward  with 
the  offer  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  if  the  friends  of 
the  orphans  would  add  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
to  purchase  a  farm,  remove  the  orphans  to  the 
country,  maintain  and  educate  them. 

Dr.  (now  Bishop)  Newman  laid  the  fourth 
stone  by  securing  the  twenty  thousand  dollars, 
and  the  orphans  were  provided  a  delightful  home 
on  a  sugar  plantation  in  St.  Mary's  Parish,  La. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  51 

Many  stones  have  sin.ce  been  laid,  perhaps  the 
largest  by  the  Hon.  W.  L.  Gilbert,  of  Winsted, 
Conn.,  after  whom  the  institution  has  been  named. 
It  is  now  not  only  an  orphans'  home,  but  more 
than  that.  It  is  an  academy  of  thorough  charac- 
ter and  a  manual  labor  school.  Its  aims  are 
expressed  in  its  name,  Gilbert  Academy  and  Agri- 
cultural College.  Mr.  Gilbert,  besides  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  for  buildings,  has  given  forty  thou- 
sand toward  endowment.  As  the  result  of  the 
expansion  of  work  and  the  great  increase  of 
members  it  is  now  indispensable  to  have  about 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars  endowment  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars  for  buildings.  Those 
who  are  grateful  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union,  they  who  rejoice  in  the  liberation  of 
the  slave,  they  who,  for  love  of  Jesus,  desire  to 
see  all  men  renewed  in  the  image  of  their 
Creator — all  these  should  find  joy  in  aiding  this 
institution.  Let  it  not  be  forgotten  that  this  is 
the  only  institution  for  the  education  of  the 
blacks  that  had  its  origin  in  the  patriot's  grati- 
tude to  our  colored  soldiers,  dead  defenders  of 
the  flag,  who,  when  they  fell,  did  fall  with  faces 
toward  the  foe.  The  letter  on  the  following  page 
from  General  Banks  explains  itself. 


52  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

"  BOSTON,  MASS.,/#«^  25,  1879. 

"The  Colored  Orphans'  Home  in  Louisiana 
was  originally  established  by  my  order  in  the 
mansion  formerly  owned  by  Pierre  Soule,  in  the 
city  of  New  Orleans,  in  1863,  where  it  was  main- 
tained for  nearly  three  years  in  a  prosperous  con- 
dition. Madam  de  Mortier,  a  colored  lady  of 
high  culture  and  character,  well  known  to  philan- 
thropic ladies  of  Boston,  and  liberally  aided  by 
them  in  her  labors  in  Louisiana,  had  charge  of 
the  home  and  managed  its  affairs  with  great  suc- 
cess. When  the  government  withdrew  its  protec- 
tion it  was  temporarily  discontinued,  and  the  or- 
phans narrowly  escaped  being  apprenticed  by  the 
government  to  their  former  owners  until  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years.  It  has  since  been  re-estab- 
lished, and  is  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  God- 
man, a  white  clergyman, on  the  plantation  in  the  rich 
and  fertile  valley  of  the  Bayou  Teche,  the  scene  of 
a  memorable  history  preserved  in  Longfellow's 
1  Evangeline.'  Disasters  of  various  kinds  have  en- 
dangered its  continued  possession  by  the  orphans 
of  colored  soldiers  and  others  who  have  so  long 
profited  by  its  instruction  and  protection.  It  is  a 
deserving  charity,  and  ought  to  be  permanently  and 
liberally  maintained.  N.  P.  BANKS." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  53 


EXTRACTS  FROM  A  HISTORY  OF  THE  ORGAN- 
IZATION AND  GROWTH  OF  THE  ORPHANS' 
HOME  SOCIETY. 

THE  Freedmen's  Bureau,  that  strong  arm  of 
the  United  States  government  stretched  forth  to 
protect  the  freed  people  of  the  South,  initiated 
this  society.  When  Mr.  Conway  was  the  com- 
missioner in  Louisiana,  appointed  by  President 
Lincoln,  he  instructed  the  officers  throughout  the 
parishes  to  gather  the  friendless  and  destitute 
little  colored  children  and  send  them  to  the  city. 
Here  he  provided  them  with  a  home,  fed,  clothed, 
and  educated  them  for  future  independence  and 
usefulness.  Most  of  those  little  ones  were  either 
orphans  of  soldiers  who  fell  in  the  Union  ranks 
or  such  as  had  lost  their  parents  in  the  confusion 
caused  by  the  retreat  of  the  Confederate  armies 
and  the  hasty  removal  of  slaves  to  Texas  or  else- 
where as  the  army  of  freedom  advanced.  When 
the  assassin  struck  down  Mr.  Lincoln  and  a  new 
ruler  arose  who  had  no  sympathy  with  freedom, 
Mr.  Conway  was  removed,  and,  his  successor 
making  no  provision  for  the  colored  orphans,  they 
would  have  been  turned  out  in  a  destitute  condi- 
tion to  become  vagabonds  upon  the  earth.  But 


54  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

God  put  into  the  hearts  of  some  kind  ladies  to 
rent  a  building  in  the  third  district,  New  Orleans 
(the  Soule  mansion,)  placing  it  in  charge  of  Mrs. 
Clarina  Hyde,  where,  amid  difficulties  of  every 
kind,  they  struggled  for  a  brief  period. 

The  first  meeting  for  organizing  the  society 
was  held  early  in  1866,  and  Madam  de  Mortier, 
an  intelligent  colored  lady,  who  came  to  New 
Orleans  to  do  something  for  the  orphans,  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  children.  By  her  influ- 
ence considerable  sums  were  collected  for  the 
work.  A  few  months  after  this  a  division  took 
place  in  the  society.  Some  of  the  members,  wish- 
ing to  have  the  children  trained  up  strictly  as 
Roman  Catholics,  separated  and  organized  a  so- 
ciety of  their  own.  There  was  a  providence  in 
the  event,  for,  about  the  same  time,  M.  de 
Bossier,  a  wealthy  French  gentleman  of  Mar- 
seilles, France,  whose  name  we  delight  to  honor, 
being  in  New  Orleans  and  hearing  of  our  soci- 
ety, proposed  to  give  us  ten  thousand  dollars 
provided  twenty  thousand  dollars  more  were 
raised  and  invested  in  lands  and  buildings  and 
that  the  children  be  educated  in  the  Protestant 
faith.  This  happy  circumstance  at  once  inspired 
the  friends  of  the  institution  with  hope,  and 


AM)   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  55 

begat  in  them  an  earnest  purpose  to  use  every 
means  in  their  power  to  secure  the  generous 
Frenchman's  donation. 

The  orphans  became  now  again  the  guests  of 
the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  and  occupied  ample 
apartments  in  the  Marine  Hospital  and  were  sus- 
tained by  the  bounty  of  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment. General  Howard  was  also  taking  a 
deep  interest  in  the  enterprise  so  congenial  to  his 
noble  nature  and  his  Christian  heart,  and  Dr. 
Newman  made  an  appeal  to  him  for  ten  thousand 
dollars,  hoping  to  raise  the  other  ten  from  other 
sources.  The  general  promptly  responded,  and 
now  twenty  thousand  dollars  were  secured.  The 
remainder  came  more  slowly  and  with  much  toil. 
Madam  de  Mortier  traveled  through  the  North 
and  obtained  donations  in  Boston,  New  York, 
and  Philadelphia.  Dr.  Newman  also  traveled, 
preached,  and  lectured  for  the  purpose,  pleading 
eloquently  for  his  beloved  orphans,  and  at  last, 
not,  however,  without  another  smaller  grant  from 
General  Howard,  the  whole  amount  was  on  de- 
posit and  the  orphans  were  sure  of  a  home. 

The  property  was  bought  for  fourteen  thou- 
sand dollars.  Buildings  were  prepared,  and  last 


56  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

February,  1 867,  when  the  Freedmen's  Hospital  had 
to  be  broken  up  and  the  Marine  Hospital  turned 
over  to  the  State,  our  large  family  of  one  hun- 
dred and  two  children,  with  officers,  furniture, 
etc.,  were  transferred  to  the  home  on  the  Teche. 
As  fast  as  the  funds  would  permit  work  has  been 
done  to  make  the  house  comfortable  ;  and  if  our 
expectations  of  help  from  the  friends  of  the  in- 
stitution are  not  disappointed  we  shall,  before  the 
present  year  closes,  see  it  in  complete  order  and 
be  prepared  to  accommodate  a  larger  number  of 
orphans.  From  the  first  an  excellent  day  school 
has  been  kept  on  the  premises,  the  Freedmen's 
Aid  Society  of  the  Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church 
providing  the  teachers.  At  the  present  time  one 
hundred  and  two  children  are  under  instruction  ; 
sixty-eight  are  able  to  read,  and  about  fifty  are 
well  advanced  in  geography,  writing,  arithmetic, 
and  grammar. 

One  of  the  older  boys  has  entered  upon  the 
study  of  law  under  the  direction  of  one  of  our 
managers.  In  1871  the  Rev.  Dr.  Con  way,  then 
president  of  the  Orphans'  Home  Society,  a  Bap- 
tist minister,  said  in  a  public  address  :  "  We  hope 
to  make  the  Orphans'  Home  the  equal  of  any 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  57 

similar  institution  in  the  South.  Our  State  may 
be  proud  of  having  made  this  provision  for  the 
colored  orphan,  though  the  society  is  not  organ- 
ized with  any  spirit  of  exclusion  of  any  orphan 
because  of  his  race,  color,  or  previous  status  in 
society.  We  have  built  on  the  banks  of  the 
Teche  a  home  to  which  they  can  come,  and 
where  they  can  be  clothed,  fed,  instructed,  and 
fitted  for  the  activities  and  responsibilities  of  the 
present  life  and  for  the  enjoyments  of  that  higher 
life  which  is  to  come.  It  is  our  purpose  to  make 
our  Orphans'  Home  a  model  institution,  espe- 
cially in  the  matter  of  rendering  it  self-sup- 
porting." 

It  is  hoped  that,  after  the  present  year,  we  will 
be  able  to  support  ourselves.  We  have  seventeen 
hundred  acres  of  land,  of  which  four  hundred  are 
under  cultivation,  mostly  in  sugar  and  corn. 
Small  tracts  have  been  rented  to  certain  freed- 
men,  who  live  on  the  plantation  with  their  fami- 
lies, and  who  give  one  third  of  their  crops  for 
rent.  Enough  cane  has  been  raised  the  present 
year  to  enable  us  to  secure  a  large  crop  the 
ensuing  year  by  planting  and  cultivating  it.  By 
building  a  sugar  mill,  at  a  cost  of  about  six  thou- 

3* 


58  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

sand  dollars  (considerable  machinery  being  al- 
ready in  our  hands  and  available  for  that  purpose), 
we  can  consider  ourselves  fully  able  not  only  to 
care  for  the  number  of  orphans  already  in  our 
charge  but  to  increase  it  considerably.  We  do 
not  propose  to  make  our  asylum  a  poorhouse, 
where  pauperism  shall  become  a  habit  or  a  pur- 
pose. Our  aim  is  higher,  better,  more  noble,  be- 
cause it  is  more  practical,  more  useful.  We  aim 
to  receive  poor  little  orphan  children  and  give 
them  a  home.  We  aim  to  educate  those  who 
come  to  us  in  all  the  rudiments  of  a  plain,  prac- 
tical, common  English  education.  We  teach  in- 
dustry and  usefulness  as  mainsprings  of  a  success 
in  life.  WTe  take  those  of  our  beneficiaries  who 
are  able  to  work  into  the  field  and  garden  and 
then  instruct  them  in  the  great  fact  that  life  and 
happiness  are  not  to  be  separated  from  honest, 
earnest  labor. 

From  the  efforts  thus  put  forth,  under  a  work- 
man whose  employment  is  secured  for  twenty 
dollars  per  month,  the  home,  with  its  extensive 
family,  receives  all  its  vegetables.  Nor  do  we 
convey  the  idea  that  labor  of  the  field  or  gar- 
den is  the  only  one  fitted  to  engage  the  attention 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  59 

of  our  inmates.  We  have  already  prepared  some 
of  our  orphans  to  be  teachers  of  public  and  pri- 
vate schools.  Those  in  some  of  our  public  schools 
in  the  country  are  receiving  a  salary  of  forty  or 
fifty  dollars  per  month.  Fifteen  of  our  number 
are  pupils  in  a  collegiate  school  on  an  adjoining 
plantation,  one  at  least  of  whom  is  preparing  for 
the  profession  of  law.  Seventy  children  have 
been  attending  school  in  connection  with  the 
home,  and,  under  faithful  teachers  supplied  by 
the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  have  made  most  gratifying  ad- 
vancement. 

Five  of  our  girls  and  one  of  our  boys  have 
been  sent  out  to  homes  in  Christian  families, 
they  being  over  sixteen  years  of  age.  Six 
boys  have  been  discharged  from  the  institu- 
tion for  the  reason  that  they  were  old  enough  to 
take  care  of  themselves.  They  are  now  earn- 
ing an  honest  living.  Three  have  been  mar- 
ried and  are  now  living  in  their  own  homes. 
The  health  of  our  orphan  family  has  been  good 
during  the  whole  year,  so  that  we  have  had  but 
slight  need  of  the  visits  or  the  medicines  of  the 
physician. 


6O  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

The  religious  culture  of  the  children  has  been 
carefully  promoted.  Chapel  services  have  been 
held  every  evening.  Sabbath  services  and  a  Sun- 
day school  have  been  kept  up  during  the  year,  on 
all  of  which  the  divine  blessing  has  descended. 
A  prayer  meeting  has  been  held  every  Friday 
evening,  which  is  attended  by  the  children  and 
other  inmates  of  the  home.  The  addition  of 
eighteen  members  to  the  Church  in  the  place 
from  among  the  older  children  is  a  noteworthy 
event  of  the  year,  and,  indeed,  the  most  gratifying 
of  all. 

It  was  reported  to  the  Mississippi  Conference 
that  "in  1867  there  was  some  uncertainty  as  to 
the  financial  success  of  this  important  enterprise. 
It  is  generally  known  that  M.  de  Bossier,  of  France, 
had  generously  offered  ten  thousand  dollars  to 
the  institution  providing  the  same  was  increased 
to  thirty  thousand  dollars  by  January  i,  1867." 
But  January  came,  and  we  had  failed  to  raise  the 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  It  was  a  trying  hour, 
but  we  were  unwilling  to  submit  to  defeat  without 
further  effort.  Impelled  by  the  necessities  of  the 
case,  I  wrote  to  M.  de  Bossier  for  an  extension  of 
time,  which  he  very  kindly  granted,  and  on  the 
first  of  April,  1867,  we  had  the  great  satisfaction 


' 


AND   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  6  I 

to  deposit  in  the  Bank  of  America,  in  New  Or- 
leans, the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  which 
secured  to  us  the  ten  thousand  dollars  offered  by 
M.  de  Bossier.  This  achievement  was  a  cause  of 
sincere  joy  to  the  friends  of  the  home  and  of  de- 
vout gratitude  to  God.  It  is  proper  to  state  that 
the  twenty  thousand  dollars  was  raised  principally 
in  the  North,  and  we  are  especially  indebted  to 
Major  General  O.  O.  Howard  for  a  munificent 
donation,  and  for  lesser  sums  to  dear  friends  in 
New  England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and 
Illinois.  May  God  bless  them!  As  M.  de  Bos- 
sier stipulated  that  the  thirty  thousand  dollars 
should  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  a  farm 
and  its  improvement,  we  have  accordingly  com- 
plied with  his  condition  and  have  made  the 
purchase. 

Down  along  the  banks  of  the  Teche  are  mas- 
sive live  oaks  whose  branches  are  covered  with 
moss  and  which  cast  a  grateful  shade,  and  at  in- 
tervals are  lofty  pecan  trees  laden  with  nuts. 
Here  is  to  be  the  home  of  our  orphans ;  here 
their  schoolhouse,  their  workshop,  and  their  play- 
grounds. On  the  opposite  side  of  the  parish  road 
is  a  field  of  seven  hundred  acres,  rich  sugar  land, 
inclosed  with  an  osage-orange  hedge  on  three 


62  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

sides,  while  beyond  are  more  than  nine  hundred 
acres  of  woodland,  on  which  is  much  valuable 
timber.  Amid  the  oaks  and  cypresses  of  this 
swamp  flows  a  small  bayou,  wherein  the  garfish 
floats  lazily  along  and  the  alligator  basks  in  the 
scant  gleams  of  the  sun.  On  the  eastern  banks 
of  this  stream  is  a  good  steam  sawmill  and  also 
draining  machine,  which  may  be  used  to  redeem 
hundreds  of  acres  of  what  is  now  swamp  land. 

On  the  1 7th  of  last  September  this  noble  plan- 
tation was  purchased  by  the  managers  of  the 
Orphans'  Home  for  fourteen  thousand  dollars. 
Here,  on  the  verdant  banks  of  the  Teche,  charity 
and  education  join  hands  for  the  elevation  of  a 
race,  while  religion  shall  sanctify  and  smile  upon 
the  union. 

"THE  ORPHANS'  HOME,  LA  TECHE,  LOUISIANA, 
May  22,  1875. 

"  To  the  Orphans'  Home  Board  of  Louisiana  : 

"GENTLEMEN  AND  LADIES:  In  this  my  first 
communication  since  you  were  pleased  to  clothe 
me  with  responsibility,  under  your  oversight,  in 
the  management  of  your  affairs  at  this  place,  I 
desire  to  congratulate  you  on  the  blessedness  and 
glory  of  your  calling  to  administer  so  great  a 
benevolence.  I  doubt  not  you  feel  as  I  do,  that 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  63 

this  is  the  Lord's  work  and  the  great  duty  of  our 
day.  By  this  I  mean  that  there  is  no  mode  of 
benevolence  now  so  urgent  on  American  Chris- 
tians as  that  which  is  directed  toward  the  elevation 
and  the  salvation  of  the  freedmen.  Let  us 
unitedly  pray  that  the  Saviour  of  all  men  may  so 
guide  that  we,  in  our  sphere,  may  accomplish  the 
greatest  amount  of  good. 

"I  have  endeavored,  since  I  came  to  this  work, 
to  attain  to  an  understanding  of  the  wants  of  the 
freedmen  and  of  the  needs  of  this  particular  in- 
stitution. I  have  arrived  at  some  conclusions 
which  I  feel  warranted  in  expressing  to  you. 

"i.I  am  convinced  that  the  freedman  can  rise  in 
the  scale  of  social  existence,  and,  to  some  degree, 
into  the  enjoyment  of  even  his  political  and  civil 
rights,  only  through  slow  processes  of  education. 
Circumstances  will  not  make  him.  He  must  be 
able  to  make  his  circumstances.  Nothing  but 
Christian  education  will  enable  him  to  do  this. 
You  have  discerned  this  and  evidenced  your  judg- 
ment in  the  plans  you  have  heretofore  laid  out 
for  execution. 

"  2.  I  have  observed  the  need  of  a  practical, 
everyday  business  education.  This  is  just  as 


64  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

pressing  as  that  which  is  higher  and  more  gener- 
ally cultivated  in  schools. 

"  3.  I  perceive  that  the  home  and  daily  sur- 
roundings of  these,  our  dependent  brethren,  have 
an  intimate  connection  with  their  intellectual  and 
moral  degradation.  Until  he  can  have  a  more 
comfortable  and  attractive  home  the  freedman's 
progress  upward  will  be  slow.  His  present  style 
of  abode  is  too  like  the  den  of  his  slave  life  to  sug- 
gest fully  the  blessings  and  dignity  of  freedom. 
He  has  no  glass  in  his  windows;  no  paint  on  his 
house  ;  few  rooms  in  his  dwelling,  so  that  many 
have  to  crowd  into  a  common  sleeping  apartment ; 
his  poverty  forbids  his  burning  artificial  lights 
except  when  forced  by  necessity  to  do  so  ;  the 
warm  climate  invites  out  of  doors.  Consequently 
the  entire  family  are  inclined  to  be  out  at  night. 
The  young  people  are  thus  corrupted,  and  the 
older  ones  are  not  improved. 

"4.  The  freedman,  from  lack  of  training,  loses 
in  business  transactions,  and  when  he  is  clearly 
defrauded  he  does  not  know  how  to  defend  him- 
self, even  if  defense  were  otherwise  practicable. 
He  has  not,  therefore,  as  yet  been  in  a  position 
to  see  a  fair  chance  of  profiting  by  his  labor. 


AND  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  65 

He  is  not  yet  inspired  with  the  prospect  of 
gain.  He  will  be,  doubtless,  when  he  sees  the 
way  to  it  clear,  when  he  is  presented  with  an 
offer,  and  has  confidence  in  the  integrity  of 
those  who  present  it.  I  beg  leave,  therefore,  to 
present  the  following  suggestions  : 

"  i.  That  a  church  be  built  on  this  plantation. 
The  Church  Extension  Society  will  probably 
aid.  If  they  do  not,  let  other  aid  be  found. 
The  work  will  all  be  donated  here.  I  presume 
it  would  be  necessary  to  raise  three  to  five  hun- 
dred dollars  cash. 

"  2.  That  the  La  Teche  Seminary  be  sustained 
in  pe rpetuo,  as  preparatory  to  the  New  Orleans 
University.  I  presume  that,  for  next  year,  a 
plan  suggested  by  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Hartzell,  your 
able  and  worthy  treasurer,  will  work.  It  is  to 
secure  an  able  white  minister  from  the  North 
who,  with  his  wife  and  necessary  assistants,  can 
give  instruction  and  govern  the  seminary.  This 
arrangement  strikes  me  as  feasible,  and  will 
meet  the  intellectual  and  spiritual  wants  of  the 
place  so  far  as  the  institution  is  called  on  to 
meet  them. 


66  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

"  3.  I  would  respectfully  suggest  that  a  good 
man  and  his  wife  from  the  North,  whether  minis- 
ter or  layman,  be  secured  as  superintendent  of 
the  home  and  the  plantation,  with  the  chance 
to  make  his  living  out  of  one  third  of  the  crops 
and  the  boarding  house,  on  condition  of  keep- 
ing everything  in  repair,  having  oversight  of  all 
the  farmers,  teaching  and  directing  them  in  all 
practical  matters,  keeping  the  orphans  that  may 
be  here  to  a  certain  number,  receiving  and  car- 
ing for  any  others  that  may  be  otherwise  pro- 
vided for,  and  giving  necessary  rooms  to  the 
teachers  and  their  families. 

"  4.  Let  a  company  be  formed  in  New  Orleans 
with  fifty  thousand  dollars  capital,  five  hundred 
shares  of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  Let  one 
hundred  shares  be  paid  in  at  first — that  is,  twenty 
per  cent  on  all  the  shares  taken,  and  this  amount 
paid  the  Home  Board  for  two  hundred  acres  of 
land.  Let  this  land  be  laid  off  in  one  acre  lots 
and  comfortable  tenements  be  erected  thereon  and 
let  to  such  colored  men  as  desire  to  occupy  them 
and  can  satisfy  the  company  of  their  fitness.  Let 
the  rent  be  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  house  and  lot 
in  a  given  number  of  years,  with  a  margin  for  re- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  67 

pairs.  Let  the  men  be  told  that  at  the  expiration  of 
the  given  time,  if  they  have  been  prompt  and  faith- 
ful, the  rent  paid  shall  be  accepted  as  payment  for 
the  property,  and  a  deed  be  made  to  them.  Let 
them  have  at  the  beginning  a  bond  for  such  a  deed. 
Details  of  the  plan  could  be  determined  by  the 
company.  They  need  not  be  entered  into  now. 

"  I  beg  you  to  consider  it  earnestly  and  see  at 
once  if  something  cannot  be  done.  Brother 
Hartzell,  if  instructed  to  do  so,  could  solicit  con- 
tributors to  such  a  fund  while  he  is  North  this 
summer.  Now  is  the  time  for  action.  If  we  do 
not  embrace  this  opportunity  to  enact  some  plan 
the  power  will  go  out  of  our  hands.  Land  is  very 
cheap,  and  many  places  about  us  are  bidding  for 
the  colored  man's  money.  The  men  who  are  now 
here  are  making  up  their  minds  upon  the  issues 
of  this  year.  Next  spring  they  will  either  go  else- 
where or  decide  to  remain  and  bring  their  families 
here  to  reside.  If  we  go  forward  we  shall  retain 
those  we  have  and  secure  more. 

"  5.  During  this  year  quite  a  sum  of  money  will 
have  to  be  expended  in  repairing  the  home  and 
the  sugarhouse  and  mill. 


68  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

"  Now,  brethren,  I  will  close  this  lengthy  paper, 
begging  your  earnest  and  prayerful  attention,  and 
subscribing  myself, 

"Yours  very  truly, 

W.  D.  GODMAN." 


AN   APPEAL  TO    CHRISTIANS. 

Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth  the  Lord,  that  delighteth  greatly  in 
his  commandments. 

He  hath  dispersed,  he  hath  given  to  the  poor;  his  righteousness 
endureth  forever. — Psalm  cxii,  I,  9. 

FELLOW-CHRISTIANS:  Our  appeal  is  to  you.  In 
behalf  of  five  millions  of  the  Lord's  poor  in  the 
South,  the  colored  wards  of  the  nation,  our  brothers 
and  sisters  redeemed  with  Jesus's  precious  blood, 
we  bespeak  your  candid  attention.  The  colored 
people  have  nothing  wherewith  to  help  them- 
selves. The  means  to  educate  and  elevate  them 
must  come  from  the  Christians  of  the  North  until 
the  Southern  Christians  shall  have  the  ready 
mind  for  their  help.  The  time  will  come,  we  are 
persuaded,  when  the  Lord  will  make  them  to  be 
"  pitied  of  all  them  that  carried  them  captives." 
While  the  Lord's  time  for  this  tarries  he  would 
give  us  of  the  North  the  heavenly  privilege  of 
ministering  to  the  wants  of  these  his  chosen  ones. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  69 

Shall  we  heed  his  call?     If  we  do  not,  then  as 
American  citizens  his  retributions  await  us ! 

Your  attention  is  called  particularly  to  the  wants 
of  this  people  in  Louisiana.  In  this  remote  re- 
gion of  our  country  less  has  probably  been  done 
by  the  benevolence  of  Northern  Christians  than 
elsewhere  in  the  South.  Yet  great  enterprises  for 
good  have  been  undertaken  and  are  in  progress. 

A  benevolent  man  in  Ohio  gave  ten  thousand 
dollars  to  the  American  Missionary  Association 
for  the  purpose  of  founding  a  college  for  colored 
youth  in  New  Orleans.  Straight  University,  a 
vigorous  institution,  commemorates  his  name  and 
is  fulfilling  nobly  his  intent.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cham- 
berlain, of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  gave  twenty  thousand 
dollars  for  the  establishment  of  Leland  Univer- 
sity among  the  same  people.  These  godly  peo- 
ple spend  their  winters  at  the  university,  and 
Mr.  Chamberlain  superintends,  gratuitously,  the 
finances  of  both  university  and  boarding  hall, 
counting  himself  and  his  means  wholly  the 
Lord's.  O,  noble  examples  !  Are  there  lovers  of 
Jesus  who  will  emulate  them? 

At  the  close  of  the  late  civil  war  Hon.  Thomas 
Conway,  District  Commissioner  of  the  Freed- 


7O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

men's  Bureau,  smitten,  as  many  were,  with  com- 
passion of  the  hapless  lot  of  the  orphans  of  de- 
ceased Union  soldiers,  gathered  about  a  hundred 
of  them  together  in  New  Orleans  and  rallied 
around  him  the  active  cooperation  of  the  Chris- 
tians of  the  city.  These  orphans  were  cared  for 
a  few  years  by  the  agencies  of  the  Freedmen's 
Bureau.  It  became  evident,  however,  that  their 
permanent  protection  and  instruction  must  be 
committed  to  other  hands,  and  they  were  at 
length  committed  to  the  watch-care  of  the  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church. 

The  orphans  were  in  their  new  home,  in  the 
midst  of  that  beautiful  region  styled  in  Longfel- 
low's "Evangeline"  "the  Eden  of  Louisiana,"  by 
January  i,  1869. 

For  a  few  years  the  Board  of  Management  re- 
ceived aid  from  the  State  of  Louisiana.  But  this 
aid  at  length  ceased,  and  the  board  found  them- 
selves, with  a  family  of  one  hundred  persons,  rap- 
idly accumulating  debt.  In  July,  1874,  the  greater 
number  of  the  orphans  were  distributed  in  homes 
procured  for  them  among  people  of  their  own  race, 
leaving  only  about  ten  at  the  home.  Since  that 
time  the  sugarhouse  was  entirely  destroyed  by 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  Jl 

explosion  of  the  boiler,  and  the  debts,  by  accumu- 
lation of  interest  and  by  misfortune  of  one  or  two 
bad  seasons,  have  grown  almost  to  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  dollars.  The  financial  pressure  of  the 
times  is  doubly  distressing  to  an  already  embar- 
rassed benevolent  institution.  The  danger  is  now 
imminent  of  losing  this  magnificent  property  to 
Protestant  Christianity  and  to  true  benevolence. 
Some  species  of  speculator  will  seize  it  if  it  go 
from  us.  Help  must  come  quickly. 

The  good  already  done  in  six  or  seven  years 
of  care  and  instruction  is  great  and  strikingly  vis- 
ible. We  cannot  yield  to  the  now  threatening 
danger  without  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  friends 
of  humanity,  to  those  who  toiled  and  prayed  for 
the  emancipation  of  an  oppressed  race,  and  who 
still  desire  their  improvement  and  elevation.  We 
have  three  sources  of  power  in  our  hands,  which, 
with  divine  help,  wUl  be  most  efficient  in  improv- 
ing our  colored  people : 

1.  The  plantation,  to  train  them  to  intelligent 
and  productive  industry. 

2.  The  village,  La  Teche,  to  furnish  the  oppor- 
tunity of  civic  experience  and  training,  and  still 
more,  the  blessedness  of  Christian  homes. 

3.  The  school,  La  Teche  Seminary,  preparatory 


72  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

to  the  New  Orleans  University,  which  will  furnish 
the  intellectual  discipline  and  literary  culture  so 
eagerly  sought  after  by  the  colored  youth,  and  so 
needful  to  make  them  a  high  order  of  citizens. 
One  most  crying  need  of  the  colored  race  is  the 
home,  the  Christian  home.  We  make  a  specialty 
of  cultivating  among  them  a  home-life  through 
our  growing  village.  They  buy  lots  cheap  and 
have  time  to  make  their  payments. 

How  grand  an  opportunity  this  for  the  colored 
race  !  Can  you  name  any  enterprise  comparable 
to  it  in  grandeur  and  in  promise  of  success  ?  A 
comparatively  small  amount  of  money  will  free 
this  property  from  embarrassment,  put  it  in  good 
repair,  and  replace  its  destroyed  sugarhouse.  It 
seems  to  us  that  twenty  thousand  dollars  will  be 
needed  for  these  several  purposes.  Trusting  in 
God,  we  present  our  claims  before  an  enlightened 
Christian  public.  The  Rev.  -W.  D.  Godman  and 
his  wife,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Godman,  are  our  accredited 
agents,  who  will  faithfully  account  for  all  moneys 
intrusted  to  them. 

GEN.  CYRUS  BUSSEY,  President, 

REV.  J.  C.  HARTZELL,  B.D.,  Treasurer. 

Hon.  H.  C.  Dibble,  Hon.  E.  Heath,  Hon.  A.  J. 
Sypher,  Managers. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  73 

THE  ORPHANS'  HOME  SOCIETY  OF  LOUISIANA. 
To  THE  CHRISTIAN  PUBLIC  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES:  We  hold  in  trust  a  large  and  valuable 
sugar  plantation  on  the  Bayou  Teche,  in  Louisi- 
ana, one  hundred  miles  from  New  Orleans.  The 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad  passes  through  the 
property.  The  plantation  consisted  originally  of 
fifteen  hundred  acres,  which  were  bought  in  1867. 
An  additional  large  outlay  was  made  in  the  erec- 
tion of  an  orphans'  home  building  and  a  school- 
house,  in  building  sugarhouse  and  planters' 
quarters,  and  in  fencing  and  putting  the  planta- 
tion in  a  condition  to  be  remunerative.  The 
whole  amount  expended  was  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars; ten  thousand  dollars  of  this  amount  were 
donated  by  M.  de  Bossier,  of  Marseilles,  France. 
A  large  part  of  the  remainder  was  given  by  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau,  and  the  balance  was  raised 
principally  in  the  North  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Newman 
and  other  devoted  friends  of  the  colored  people, 
who  labored  with  him  in  the  South  at  the  time. 

The  home,  which  had  already  been  opened  in 
New  Orleans,  was  transferred  to  the  plantation, 
and  had,  for  seven  years,  an  average  of  one  hun- 

4 


74  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

dred  orphans  per  annum.  At  first  the  orphans  of 
colored  soldiers  were  cared  for,  being  fed,  clothed, 
and  educated.  During  these  years  the  income 
from  the  plantation  was  not  so  large  as  was  an- 
ticipated. The  hard  times,  financially,  through- 
out the  country,  cut  off  donations,  and  the 
sugarhouse  was  badly  damaged  by  the  explosion 
of  the  boiler,  and  had  to  be  refitted.  So  it  trans- 
pired tnat  in  1874  we  found  ourselves  embarrassed 
with  debt,  and  we  deemed  it  wise  to  find  homes 
for  nearly  all  the  children,  leaving  always  a  few 
on  the  place  with  the  matron,  and  to  devote  our 
efforts  to  clearing  the  property  from  embarrass- 
ment. The  debt  amounted  to  about  ten  thousand 
dollars  and  interest — in  all,  to  nearly  thirteen  thou- 
sand dollars.  Of  this  amount  five  thousand,  with 
interest,  was  due  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  the  re- 
mainder was  made  up  of  local  debts. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  W.  D.  Godman,  our  Correspond- 
ing Secretary,  has  had  in  charge  the  property 
since  1875.  For  two  and  a  half  years  he  and  Mrs. 
Godman,  who  is  also  one  of  our  managers,  have 
been  in  the  North  raising  money  to  pay  the  debts. 
During  that  time  they  have  raised  and  paid  on 


AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  75 

the  debts  of  the  institution  something  over  six 
thousand  dollars.  By  a  happy  arrangement  with 
the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society  and  our  local  credit- 
ors, we  have  been  enabled  to  provide  for  our 
remaining  debts  by  the  sale  to  our  creditors 
of  about  one  third  of  our  plantation,  leaving 
us  nearly  one  thousand  acres  and  all  the  improve- 
ments valuable  to  us.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
terrific  storm  of  last  September,  by  which  our 
buildings  were  destroyed,  we  could  at  once  re- 
open our  home  and  school.  That  storm,  which 
destroyed  millions  of  property  in  that  region  of 
the  State,  played  sad  havoc  with  our  buildings 
and  improvements.  The  main  building,  which 
was  a  two-story  brick,  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  feet  long  and  fifty  feet  wide,  was  so  badly 
wrecked  that  only  a  part  of  it  can  be  utilized  in 
rebuilding.  The  schoolhouse,  the  gift  of  the 
Freedmen's  Bureau,  was  entirely  destroyed.  The 
barn,  planters'  quarters,  and  fences  were  nearly  all 
swept  away. 

We  have  rebuilt  such  buildings  and  fences  as 
we  were  able.  Now  that  the  debts  are  provided 
for  our  purpose  is  to  reopen  the  home  and  the 
La  Teche  Seminary  next  fall.  To  furnish  the 


76  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

necessary  buildings  to  do  this  will  require  about 
five  thousand  dollars.  The  Rev.  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Godman  are  now  in  the  North  to  raise  this 
amount.  They  have  already  demonstrated  their 
great  interest  in  this  work  by  their  unselfish  de- 
votion to  it,  laboring  continuously,  without  com- 
pensation, even  at  times  bearing  a  part  of  their 
own  traveling  expenses.  Through  them,  as  our 
accredited  representatives,  we  appeal  to  the 
Christian  public  of  America  for  help. 

A  few  orphans  have  all  the  time  been  under 
our  care.  But  we  hope  to  soon  have  scores  to 
whom  we  can  impart  Christian  culture,  and  whom 
we  can  send  forth  to  lead  and  save  their  people. 
Our  seminary  embraces  within  its  helpful  influ- 
ence a  large  number  of  pupils  from  a  wide  terri- 
tory, the  orphans  being  but  a  small  fraction  of 
the  entire  number. 

We  beseech  especially  the  friends  of  the  col- 
ored people  to  make  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Godman  wel- 
come, and  to  help  them  for  the  Master's  sake, 
whose  poor,  through  us,  they  represent.  The 
opportunities  for  good,  through  this  institution, 
are  boundless.  The  poor  and  homeless  children 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  77 

of  the  colored  people  are  numbered,  in  every 
Southern  State,  by  thousands.  From  these  can 
be  gathered  those  who,  after  a  few  years  of  Chris- 
tian training,  can  go  among  their  people  as  teach- 
ers and  leaders  to  aid  them  in  their  struggles  for 
a  better  and  higher  civilization.  Remember  the 
words  of  the  Mas.ter,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me." 

Your  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ, 

REV.  J.  C.  HARTZELL,  D.D.,  President. 
REV.  JOSEPH  MATLOCK, 

First  Vice-President. 
REV.  EMPEROR  WILLIAMS, 

Sec  on  d  Vice-Presiden  t. 
THOMAS  G.  TRACY,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 
JAMES  G.  B.  WILLIAMS,  Esq., 

Recording  Secretary. 

Rev.  Henry  Green,  Hon.  Edward  Heath,  Hon. 
John  Page,  Hon.  H.  C.   Dibble,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Hart- 
zell,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Boothby,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Drew,  Mrs. 
J.  Hayward,  Mrs.  T.  G.  Tracy,  Managers. 
January,  1880. 


78  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

REV.  J.   T.  B.'LABAU, 
Pastor  Baptist  Church,  Baldwin,  La. 

REV.  J.  T.  B.  LABAU  was  born  March  26,  1854, 
near  Jeanerette,  St.  Mary's  Parish,  La.  His  mother 
was  bought  and  brought  a  slave,  from  Virginia  ; 
his  father  and  master  came  from,  France.  He  did 
not  have  the  chance  of  getting  an  education  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  His  mother  moved  to 
Franklin,  La.,  where  young  Labau  entered  the 
public  school,  under  the  tutorship  of  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Roberts,  in  1866-67.  He  was  a  studious  boy,  and 
soon  won  the  esteem  of  his  teacher  and  school- 
mates. Having  been  compelled  to  work  in  order 
to  earn  money  for  the  purpose  of  educating  him- 
self, he  was  employed  at  the  Orphans'  Home,  as 
it  was  then  called.  It  has  been  succeeded  by 
Gilbert  Academy.  Having  earned  money  enough, 
he  returned  to  school,  and  was  greeted  by  his 
teacher  and  classmates.  At  the  close  of  school 
he  passed  a  creditable  examination  for  the  po- 
sition of  a  teacher  in  the  county  public  school, 
which  he  filled  with  honor  to  the  school  and  credit 
to  himself. 

In  all  his  early  life  he  had  a  good  religious 
training,  having  a  Christian  mother  who  taught 


REV.  J.  T.  B.  LABAU. 


'AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  79 

him  Christian  truth,  and  prayed  that  her  son 
might  become  a  good  Christian  man  and  be  a 
good  citizen  and  neighbor.  Her  prayers  have 
been  answered,  though  the  good  Lord  has  taken 
her  home  to  heaven.  Her  prayers  and  teachings, 
like  bread  cast  upon  the  waters,  are  seen  after 
many  days.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  al- 
ways a  great  lover  of  good  books,  the  Sunday 
school,  and  the  Church.  He  was  converted  and 
called  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  in 
1874.  About  this  time  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  D.  God- 
man,  a  Christian  gentleman,  became  acquainted 
with  young  Labau,  and,  apparently,  the  reverend 
doctor  saw  signs  of  usefulness  in  him.  Though 
he,  Labau,  was  a  Baptist,  yet  Dr.  Godman  began 
to  encourage  him  to  study  the  word  of  God  that 
he  might  become  a  worthy  leader  of  his  people 
and  a  preacher  among  them.  Later  on  he  went 
to  New  Orleans  and  entered  that  University,  of 
which  Dr.  Godman  was  president,  and  pursued 
biblical  and  theological  studies.  The  president 
points  with  pride  to  his  former  student  because 
of  his  attainments  and  because  of  his  ability  to 
think  for  himself.  At  a  later  period  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  ordained.  In  1883  he  entered 
the  Baptist  ministry.  He  has  been  very  success- 


8O  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

ful,  both  as  preacher  and  teacher.  He  is  married, 
and  lives  happily  with  his  wife  and  five  hopeful, 
happy  children,  in  the  town  of  Baldwin,  La.,  near 
Gilbert  Academy.  One  of  Mr.  Labau's  charges 
is  located  a't  Baldwin,  where  the  session  of  the 
Union  Baptist  Association,  sixth  district  of 
Louisiana,  met  on  the  I4th  day  of  June,  1892. 
The  association  elected  Mr.  Labau  vice-president. 
With  a  strong  physique  and  with  favoring  cir- 
cumstances Mr.  Labau  has  the  prospect  of  a  very 
successful  career  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 


OPENING    OF    LA    TECHE    SEMINARY. 

April  i,  1875. — Seminary  opened  this  day  at 
9  A.  M.,  in  the  schoolhouse,  a  building  presented 
by  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  to  the  Orphans'  Home 
Society.  Present,  W.  D.  Godman  and  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Dexter  Godman,  teachers;  and  fifty-six  pupils,  all 
of  genuine  ebony  or  snuff  color  and  of  various 
grades  of  attainment,  some  learning  the  alphabet 
and  some  studying  algebra  and  natural  philoso- 
phy. We  formed  nineteen  classes,  besides  such 
as  may  require  lessons  in  penmanship,  and  two 
advanced  students,  one  in  biblical  science  and  one 
in  Latin,  who  will  need  instruction  in  private. 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  8  I 

To  the  color  of  the  students  two  notable  excep- 
tions should  not  be  overlooked,  namely,  the 
daughter  of  the  principal  and  the  son  of  the 
matron  of  the  Orphans'  Home. 

We  began  with  cheerful  salutation  to  the  house 
of  eager  youth  and  reading  Psalm  i,  which  was 
followed  by  singing  and  prayer  and  by  two  short 
addresses.  After  this  we  proceeded  at  once  to 
enrolling  the  students  and  organizing  the  classes. 
In  enrolling  we  found  interesting  names,  some 
by  grand  historic  association — for  example,  Martha 
Washington,  Geraldine  Calvin  ;  some  by  coinci- 
dence with  celebrities  of  fiction — for  example, 
Adeline  Bray  ;  some  by  a  queer  combination  of 
fine  significance  with  burly,  two-fisted  suggestions 
— for  example,  Memory  Bowser ;  and  some  by 
scriptural  sanctity,  as  in  the  case  of  two  little 
chicks,  black  as  Pluto's  pullets,  the  first  names 
taken  in  enrolling  a  primer  class,  namely,  Solomon 
Marshall  and  Rebecca  Sims. 

We  were  interested,  and  at  the  same  time 
grieved,  to  find  that  quite  a  large  number — and 
some  of  them  not  mere  children — could  not  give 
their  age,  for  the  good  reason  that  they  did  not 
know  it.  Quite  likely  their  parents  could  give  us 

4* 


82  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

no  more  accurate  information  on  this  point  than 
the  children.  They  would  say  such  a  one  was 
"  bawn  yeah  To'  de  wah,"  and  such  a  one  "  second 
yeah  after  de  wah."  The  misses  showed,  some  of 
them,  the  same  sensitiveness  regarding  their  age 
that  marks  their  fairer  sisters.  Query,  Is  this 
feeling,  therefore,  a  pure  expression  of  nature,  or 
is  it  merely  the  fruit  of  education  ?  One  might 
suggest  that  such  a  feeling  is  a  transmitted  expe- 
rience, the  recurrence  of  what  ancestors  felt.  If 
this  were  granted  it  would  but  remove  the  ques- 
tion for  answer  a  little  further  back.  Did  the 
ancestor  derive  his  feeling  (or  hers)  from  nature 
pure  and  simple  ?  In  the  case  of  these  poor  chil- 
dren what  education,  except  that  of  nature,  have 
their  ancestry  received  ?  One  coal-black  lad, 
with  a  broad  square  face  and  features  contrived 
to  hide  expression,  when  asked  for  his  age  replied, 
"  Three  times  seven."  He  did  not  allow  his  mus- 
cles to  smile,  but  his  eye  twinkled. 

One  youth,  giving  his  name  with  pompous  man- 
ner— a  talented  fellow,  by  the  way — rose  near  the 
close  of  the  session  to  inquire  in  behalf  of  several 
persons  who  wished  to  labor  part  of  each  day 
what  would  be  the  regulation  hours  of  school  ses- 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  83 

sion,  the  hours  having  been  already  announced 
as  from  eight  to  one.  In  answer  to  his  in- 
quiry the  announcement  was  repeated.  Where- 
upon he  characteristically  desired  to  know  "if  it 
was  in  de  fo'noon."  There  was  a  ripple  of  laugh- 
ter throughout  the  house,  which  the  teachers 
quietly  ignored,  and  the  young  gentleman  was  in- 
formed that  they  who  wished  to  labor  could  be 
excused  at  1 2  M.,  and  "  all  was  quiet  along  the 
Potomac." 


FATHER  GREEN  (REV.  HENRY  GREEN). 
FATHER  GREEN,  the  pastor  of  the  Lord's  flock 
in  this  place  (La  Teche),  his  "  Southdowns,"  as 
some  say,  is  an  earnest  Christian  and  very  wise  in 
the  discernment  of  character  and  in  the  exercise 
of  judgment  in  practical  matters.  Being  much 
annoyed  by  hawks  killing  his  chickens,  instead  of 
procuring  a  gun  and  going  for  accipiter  latro,  he 
set  up  a  martin  box  on  the  top  of  a  pole.  There- 
after when  the  hawks  came  the -martins  flew  out 
and  after  them,  as  is  their  wont,  and  the  hawks, 
annoyed,  left  for  more  congenial  shores. 

Father  Green  has  a  rich  store  of  the  memories  of 
the  time  of  bondage.     He  used  to  preach  in  slavery 


84  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

days,  and,  being  a  good  man,  was  often  borrowed 
by  his  master's  neighbors.  This  gave  him  oppor- 
tunity to  form  extensive  acquaintance  among  the 
slaves  and  to  do  good  among  them.  On  one  par- 
ticular plantation  the  slaves  were  of  bad  character, 
dissolute,  profane,  and  violent.  Green,  being 
among  these  irreligious  slaves,  from  whom  all  re- 
ligious observances  had  been  driven  away,  began 
to  hold  meetings  secretly  in  a  cabin  remotely  situ- 
ated, and  in  the  most  quiet  manner,  so  that  no 
noise  could  be  heard,  even  by  one  at  the  door,  ex- 
ercises being  carried  on  sotto  voce.  (This  would 
seem  almost  impossible,  but  so  it  was  related.) 
This  went  on  successfully  for  a  time,  but,  to  use 
Green's  expressive  language,  "  the  Spirit  of  God 
cum  from  somewhar,"  and  the  excitement  and 
noise  drew  the  attention  of  the  overseer.  Most 
of  the  attendants  had  time  to  escape  before  the 
overseer  entered  the  cabin  ;  but  the  convicted 
souls,  wrestling  with  God,  "  lay  on  the  flo'."  They 
were  quickly  hustled  out  to  a  place  of  confine- 
ment and  reported  to  the  master  as  "  drunk." 
"  Drunk  ?  "  said  the  master,  "  where'd  they  get 
the  whisky?"  No  smuggling  of  whisky  was 
allowed.  However,  the  master's  doubts  were  al- 
layed, and  the  penitents  were  sentenced  to  work 


AXI>    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  85 

in  the  field  with  an  empty  whisky  bottle  tied 
around  the  neck  and  swinging  under  the  chin. 
This  was  said  to  have  occurred  in  Mississippi. 


A  FUNERAL. 

April  6,  1875. — Down  the  road  toward  the 
schoolhouse,  which  is  used  as  a  church,  comes  a 
long,  quiet  procession  of  black  people,  old  and 
young,  men  and  women  ;  the  men,  some  with  hats, 
and  some  without  ;  the  women,  some  with  turbans, 
some  with  hats,  some  with  mere  flowing  ker- 
chiefs ;  girls  and  boys,  some  of  them  barefoot. 
Their  friend,  newly  arrived  and  from  a  distance, 
looks  on  with  a  keen,  sympathetic  interest,  wait- 
ing for  indications  of  their  sentiments  toward 
death.  If  they  have  any  thought  of  the  presence 
of  a  stranger  they  would  seem  to  think  that  he 
must  be  too  familiar  with  death  and  grief  to  be 
out  of  harmony  with  the  occasion.  The  humble 
procession  arrives  at  the  front,  and  there  is  a  pause 
until  the  sexton  has  opened  gate  and  doors.  The 
coffin,  without  hearse  or  bier,  has  been  carried  a 
long  distance  in  the  hands  of  willing  men.  It  is 
a  plain  box  of  cypress  boards,  but  they  are  wholly 


86  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

covered  with  black  muslin,  and  grief  is  as  appro- 
priately and  tenderly  expressed  as  by  a  pall  of 
broadcloth  or  silk.  There  is  neither  silver  plate 
nor  the  deceased's  name,  nor  silver-headed  nails, 
nor  silver-mounted  handles.  It  is  brought  into  the 
church  quietly  and  placed  endwise  on  two  chairs. 

There  is  present  a  large  circle  of  relatives,  but 
no  show  of  sorrow,  no  moans  and  tears.  These 
expressions,  if  indulged,  are  witnessed  at  the  grave. 
The  hymns  selected  are  solemn  and  are  sung  with 
subdued  feeling.  There  is  no  outward  evidence 
of  deep  grief.  But  in  the  prayers  and  in  the 
minister's  words,  as  well  as  in  the  bearing  of 
the  entire  assembly,  is  to  be  observed  the  lan- 
guage of  relief  and  satisfaction.  "  The  end  of 
life  is  its  best  part "  seems  to  be  the  sentiment 
of  all.  "  He's  gone  to  glory "  is  their  comfort. 
The  mention  of  his  departure  was  responded  to 
with  "  Glory  to  God."  So  everywhere  the  poor 
and  lowly  look  on  death  as  the  escape  from  a 
sad  lot. 

These  poor  people  find  their  blessedness  in 
the  anticipation  of  glory.  They  thus  stand  where 
stood  the  early  Christians  and  the  holy  martyrs. 
They  sing  with  fervor  : 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  87 

"  O,  breclren  will  you  go  ? 
Will  you,  will  you, 
Go  wid  me  to  glory  ?  " 

A  protracted  meeting,  so  called,  or,  as  gener- 
ally designated  here,  a  mourners'  meeting,  was  in 
progress.  The  evening  following  the  funeral  four 
persons  presented  themselves  for  prayers.  As  the 
exercises  advance  it  is  evident  that  the  "  mourn- 
ers "  are  not  very  intelligently  guided.  Ah,  poor, 
lost  sheep  !  where  shall  ye  find  your  shepherds  ? 
The  kind  of  preaching  in  vogue  does  not  seem 
to  reach  the  young.  They  are  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  religion  set  forth  to  them.  They  come 
to  Sunday  school  and  leave  before  the  sermon 
begins.  At  night  they  sit  as  near  the  door  as 
may  be  practicable,  and  look  on  with  criticism 
and  sometimes  with  rport. 

The  next  generation  will  be  very  different  from 
those  wrho  have  come  out  of  bondage.  They  will 
be  either  ruined  by  freedom  or  saved  by  knowl- 
edge and  the  grace  of  God.  Which  shall  it  be  ? 
The  latter,  we  pray.  To  this  end  we  shall  labor. 
We  shall  hope  to  witness  the  disappearance  of 
the  superstitious  notions  about  dreams,  witches, 
devils,  etc.  We  cannot,  on  the  other  hand,  desire 


88  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

the  disappearance  of  the  precious  songs  of  this 
people.  But  go  they  will.  They  belong  to  an  un- 
tutored age.  They  can  neither  be  produced  nor 
reproduced  among  an  intelligent  and  reflective 
people.  They  are  outbursts  of  childish  feeling, 
conveying  often  beautiful  and  touching  truth. 
Here  are  some  specimens  that  we  have  never  seen 
in  print.  When  sung  to  their  peculiar  airs  they 
are  unutterably  affecting. 

"  The  puttiest  thing  that  ever  I  done, 

I'm  on  my  way  ; 
I  served  my  God  when  I  was  young ; 

I'm  on  my  way. 
I  never  can  forgit  de  day 
When  Jesus  wash  my  sins  away ; 

I'm  on  my  way. 

"  One  mornin'  at  de  broke  of  day 
De  Mornin'  Star  burst  on  my  soul ; 

I'm  on  my  way. 

Ef  'ligion  could  be  bought  wid  money, 
De  rich  'ud  lib  an'  de'  po'  'ud  die ; 

I'm  on  my  way." 


"  You  may  hunt  all  roun'  dis  unfrien'ly  world, 
'Mong  all  de  nobles'  men  you'll  find, 
Dere's  nary  'nudcler  one  like  Jesus." 


"  De  preacher's  gwine  to  preach  aroun', 
De  preacher's  gwine  to  preach  aroun', 
De  preacher's  gwine  to  preach  aroun' 
De  new  buryin'  groun'. 

"  De  mourners  gwine  to  mourn  aroun',"  etc.,  etc. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  89 

"My  time  is  come  an'  I  mus'  go  ; 

Hope  I  may  jine  cle  ban'. 
Don'  grieve  lor  me  'n  I'm  dead  an'  gone ; 

Hope  I  may  jine  de  ban'." 


"  He  lied  in  de  grave  that  sinners  might  be  saved- 
Dere's  nary  'nother  one  like  Jesus, 

Like  Jesus, 
An'  dere's  nary  'nother  one  like  Jesus. 

"  You  may  hunt  in  all  dis  sinful  worl', 

You  may  hunt  it  tro'  and  tro', 

An'  dere's  nary  'nother  one  like  Jesus. 

» 

"  Go  all  among  dem  noble  men, 
You  may  search  among  dem  all, 
An'  dere's  nary  'nother  one  like  Jesus. 

"  O,  he  hunged  upon  de  cross 

Dat  de  worl'  might  not  be  los', 

An'  dere's  nary  'nother  one  like  Jesus." 


WE   ALL    SHALL    BE    FREE. 

"  De  Father  look  at  de  Son  an'  smile, 

De  Son  he  look  after  me ; 
De  Father  redeem  my  soul  from  hell, 

An'  de  Son  did  set  me  free. 

CHORUS  :  We  all  shall  be  free,  we  all  shall  be  free, 
When  de  Lord  he  set  us  free. 

"  He  done  more  than  Moses  done, 

Our  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King ; 

From  bonds  of  hell  Christ  freed  my  soul, 

An'  taught  my  lips  to  sing. 

CHORUS  :  We  all  shall  be  free,  we  all  shall  be  free, 
When  de  Lord  he  set  us  free. 


90  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

"  When  de  moon  run  down  in  de  purple  stream, 

An'  de  sun  refuse  to  shine, 
An'  ebery  star  it  disappear, 
King  Jesus  shall  be  mine. 

CHORUS  :  We  all  shall  be  free,  we  all  shall  be  free, 
When  de  Lord  he  set  us  free." 


"  Dere's  a  foursquare  city, 
Where  Jesus  Christ  do  dwell ; 
Dere's  a  foursquare  city, 
Gwine  to  anchor  by  an'  by." 


THE  PREACHER'S  SEVERITY. 
"  DE  trubble  in  yo'  case,  de  hind'rin'  cause  of  yo' 
salvation,  is  keepin'  foolish  company.  Ye  walk 
about  and  wisit  each  other  Sundays,  clappin'  juber, 
laughin'  at  all  manner  of  silly  talk,  and  laughin' 
in  de  church  at  ev'rything,  runnin'  away  from 
de  preachin'  an'  shunnin'  de  ole  preacher,  jes'  like 
a  flock  o'  sheep  leapin'  one  after  another  out  of 
de  pen.  I  thank  God  de  ole  preacher  don'  have 
to  preach  to  please  de  young  women." 


A  PUZZLE. 

April  12,  1875. — I  spent  many  minutes  this 
morning  trying  to  fix  in  the  mind  of  a  girl  thirteen 
years  old  the  knowledge  that  seven  and  three  make 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  9! 

ten.  She  would  say  :  "  Seven  and  one  are  eight ; 
seven  and  two  are  nine;  seven  and  three  are  ten," 
when  following  my  pointer  on  the  blackboard  ;  but 
the  moment  her  attention  was  taken  from  the  board 
she  would  say,  "  Seven  and  one  are  ten ;  seven  and 
three  are  eight,"  or  "  Seven  and  three  are  twenty." 
What  case  is  this?  Want  of  memory  ?  Want  of 
abstraction  ?  Lack  of  imagination,  or  want  of  at- 
tention ?  It  would  seem  a  congenital  defect. 


A  TOUCHING  RELIGIOUS  SERVICE. 
ONE  sister,  black  and  tall,  and  of  a  genuine 
African  type,  with  her  blue  and  white  striped 
dress,  and  her  red  and  white  turban,  which  pro- 
jected formidably  backward,  and  with  her  long 
neck,  prominent  eyes,  and  big  lips  and  chin,  be- 
gan to  swing  her  body  and  throw  her  head  and 
arms  in  singing — all  gracefully  and  solemnly. 
Other  sisters  swayed  and  sang  and  clapped  their 
hands  gently.  Then  came  prayer,  and  the  tall, 
black  Corybant  led.  She  said  :  "  You  know, 
Lord,  what  I  cum  to  yer  fur.  O,  Jesus  !  Look 
on  my  po'  soul  ;  bless  my  sistahs  and  bruddahs  ; 
come  wid  sin-killin'  an'  devil-drivin'  powah  ;  let 
dese  po'  sinnahs  feel  dat  dey  mus'  all  die,  an*  can't 


92  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

live.  You  is  a  man  o'  wah  ;  you  fit  de  battle  in  de 
wildahness  ;  you  fit  roun'  de  walls  ob  Jericho.  O, 
you  is  a  man  o'  wah  ;  fight  our  battles  for  us.  O, 
po'  sinnahs,  yo'  mus'  die  an'  can't  live.  Jesus  die 
for  yo'  sins  ;  he  live  high  up  in  hebben.  O,  po' 
sinnah,  don'  stay  away!  don'  stay  away!" 

These  words  were  uttered  with  musical  ca- 
dences, sweet,  weird,  ravishing.  The  other  sisters, 
kneeling  all  around,  as  she  paused,  responded 
antiphonally,  with  unutterable  pathos  :  "  Don' stay 
away  !  O,  don'  stay  away  ! "  Another  time  it  was, 
"Jesus  is  ready,  is  ready  !"  Another  time  it  was, 
"You  are  weary,  po'  sinnah,  weary,  weary  !  " 

Here  was  nature,  art,  inspiration,  all  combined, 
without  any  technique  to  produce  some  of  the 
highest  conceivable  effects.  Beautiful  is  human 
nature,  no  matter  about  the  complexion.  Great 
is  the  spirit,  whether  in-  the  cultured  or  the  un- 
tutored heart. 

A  NOISY  MEETING. 

AT  one  time  four  persons  had  "the  power," 
jumping  and  shouting.  I  doubted  for  a  moment 
"whereunto  this  thing  would  grow,"  but  concluded 
the  Lord  could  guide  the  storm.  He  did.  The 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  93 

old  preacher,  never  at  a  loss,  remarked  that  "  he 
liked  to  shout  as  much  as  anyone,  but  that  he 
generally  held  in  what  he  got  so  as  to  keep  some 
for  another  time."  This  had  the  desired  effect. 


SOME  PREACHING. 

May  2,  1875. — The  preacher  to-day  exhorted 
the  people  not  to  be  afraid  of  white  folks.  He 
told  them  that  the  white  people,  at  least  those 
whom  they  had  to  deal  with,  were  their  friends ; 
that  he  was  satisfied  that  if  the  colored  man  was 
to  be  lifted  up  so  as  to  be  more  and  better  than 
he  is  now  it  must  be  "  through  de  white  people." 
"  We  mus'  not  stay  in  de  woods,  bred'ren,  an'  keep 
away  from  de  white  folks  'kase  we's  afeerd  of  'em  ; 
ef  we  do  we'll  be  like  some  animals  dat  stay  in  de 
woods  an'  die  dar,  an'  nuthin'  comes  of  'em." 

At  the  close  they  gathered  around  us  with  warm 
greetings. 


THE  DEVIL  TAKETH  AWAY. 
THE  pastor's  sermon  to-day  was  on  the  Parable 
of  the  Sower.     He   was  at  a   loss,  evidently,  for 
matter  for  some  minutes  ;  said,  as  he  usually  does, 


94  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

the  length  of  his  "  disco'se  "  would  depen'  a  good 
deal  on  the  "Sperrit."  He  made  the  first  part  of 
this  memorable  "  disco'se,"  after  he  got  well 
started,  on  "The  devil  cometh  and  taketh  away." 
"We  mus'  hev  an  understandin'  of  de  truth,  you 
know ;  mus'  understan'  what  de  Gospel  is,  and 
what  de  Lor'  do  for  us.  But  de  devil  always  in 
de  church;  he  never  stay  away  from  church; 
he  knows  his  case.  Ye  can't  see  him  comin'  to 
church  ;  ye  can't  see  how  he  looks  an'  what  he's 
a  doin';  it'd  be  agin  him  fur  to  be  seen.  But 
when  de  po'  mo'ner  gits  to  thinkin'  on  de  truth 
of  Jesus,  then  the  devil  jes'  come  an'  sort  o'  tangle 
him  all  up  in  his  thoughts  so  he  don'  no  mo' 
understan'  what  he  hear." 

The  second  division  related  to  "  unfruitfulness." 
"Ye  see,  we  many  times  fin'  ourselves  down  low 
in  dis  worl'  an'  we  see  somebody  what's  higher,  so 
we  jes'  takes  a  big  leap  an'  tries  to  be  as  big  as 
de  udder  man.  Or  dere's  some  case  or  udder  we 
fix  up,  an'  we  think  dat's  jes'  de  thing  for  us  to 
shine;  so  at  it  we  go,  but  dere's  no  Jesus  in  it,  no 
Jesus  in  it,  not  a  bit  of  it ;  an'  so  we  are  unfruit- 
ful, jes'  as  dat  ar  pignut  tryin'  to  be  a  pecan  ;  it 
can't  be  did." 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  95 

SOME   SAYINGS. 

May  2,  1875,  Night  Service. — A  young  broth- 
er :  "I  love  de  Lor'.  How  we  ort  to  love  him, 
brethren  !  He  lengthen  out  the  brittle  thread  of 
life  an'  lets  our  golden  moments  roll  on." 

A  woman  of  middle  age  :  "  I  have  a  word  to  say 
about  my  Jesus  too.  I  don'  wait  'kase  I  'feerd  to 
speak ;  but  I  was  thinkin'  I  believe  Jesus  hear 
prayer.  O,  I  know  he  do.  He  has  hyur  lately 
heerd  some  Christian  prayers  ;  some  Christian 
prayers  right  hyur  went  clar  up  to  de  hebben's 
throne,  an'  dey  been  answered.  I  mean  to  pray 
on,  an'  we  all  ought  to  pray  for  de  conversion  of 
sinnahs,  an'  our  prayers  will  be  answered.  Wy, 
de  prayers  of  Christians  '11  jes'  plow  up  all  de  fallow 
groun'  of  dis  'ole  place,  an*  de  people  be  converted." 

A  young  woman  :  "  I  means  to  say  how-d'ye  to 
Jesus,  sooner  in  de  mornin'." 


REV.  STEVEN  DUNCAN, 
Presiding  Elder  of  Shreveport  District,  La. 

REV.  STEVEN  DUNCAN  was  born  at  Cote 
Blanche,  La.,  A.  D.  1849.  He  was  taken  as  a  serv- 
ant to  the  house  of  the  plantation  agent  at  the  age 


96  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

of  six  years.  His  occupation  at  this  time  was  to 
carry  meals  for  mechanics  daily  to  the  sugar- 
house.  At  an  early  period  he  learned  much  from 
these  mechanics  by  working  for  and  with  them. 
He  became  a  subject  of  converting  grace,  as 
was  believed,  in  the  year  1856,  and  was  baptized 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Craven.  One  of  the  remem- 
brances of  this  period  (precise  date  not  dis- 
tinctly remembered)  was  this :  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Craven  said  on  one  occasion,  "  This  night  will  be 
a  night  long  to  be  remembered."  That  night  the 
house  of  one  of  the  workmen  was  burned,  and  a 
young  woman  was  burned  in  it.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  says  :  "  They  kept  me  about  the  house 
until  the  war.  The  agent  was  a  Christian,  and 
often  preached  to  us.  He  had  two  texts  :  '  Thou 
shalt  not  steal ; '  '  Servants,  obey  your  masters.' 
His  successor  preached  with  the  whip.  One  day, 
the  war  having  come,  all  the  servants  left,  includ- 
ing the  house  servants,  and  I  was  required  to  do 
cooking,  washing,  etc.  One  day  a  firkin,  filled 
with  gold  and  silver  coins  and  silverware,  was 
put  into  my  charge  to  be  buried  so  that  the  Yan- 
kees might  not  get  it.  I  buried  it  under  a  tree 
in  the  garden  and  hid  the  spoons  in  a  hollow  log. 
After  the  Yankees  had  come  and  gone  the  agent 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  97 

and  his  household  took  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  I  was  requested  to  return  to  them  the  money 
and  the  silver,  which  I  did.  My  mother  was  in 
the  quarters. 

"  One  night,  while  the  family  were  asleep,  the 
men  being  away  to  war,  and  the  madam  and  her 
daughters  being  alone  in  the  house,  I  rose  from 
sleep,  went  to  the  stable,  took  a  mule,  and  went 
to  the  quarters,  where  I  found  my  mother  with  all 
her  bundles  packed  and  in  readiness  to  leave  the 
place.  While  I  was  inside  getting  some  things 
together  my  mother  was  holding  the  mule.  The 
mule,  being  frightened,  ran.  My  mother,  holding 
by  the  bridle,  was  dragged  about  an  acre  and  a  half. 
She  was  badly  injured,  but  still  able  to  ride.  I 
walked  by  her  side,  and  we  traveled  eighteen  miles 
to  the  Byrne  plantation,  afterward  known  as  the 
Orphans'  Home,  where  the  Yankees  had  a  camp. 
We  went  on  to  Franklin,  and  thence  I  went 
with  the  Yankees  to  New  Orleans,  mother  re- 
maining behind  in  Franklin. 

"  We  camped  at  the  Touro  building,  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  city.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1864,  we 
received  orders  to  leave  camp,  crossed  the  river 
at  the  Jackson  Street  ferry,  and  thence  went  on 
horseback — being  cavalry — to  Mansfield,  La.  I 


98  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

was  servant  to  Captain  Pierce,  of  New  Hampshire. 
General  Banks  was  defeated  and  driven  back  ;  the 
whole  of  -  -  Battery  was  captured,  besides  a 
brigade  of  commissary  wagons.  We  retreated 
that  night  to  Pleasant  Hill,  thence  to  Natchi- 
toches,  thence  to  Morganza,  crossing  the  Atcha- 
falaya,  and  having,  at  the  crossing,  a  severe  en- 
gagement with  the  Confeds.  The  Yankees 
whipped  and  went  on  to  Morganza,  stopping  there 
a  week.  We  went  thence  by  the  river  to  Carrol- 
ton.  The  company  was  soon  mustered  out,  and  I 
remained  in  New  Orleans. 

"The  spot  where  I  now  live,  Pine  and  Beurthe 
Streets,  is  about  where  we  were  mustered  out.  I 
found  my  mother,  grandmother,  and  sister  in  New 
Orleans  ;  went  to  work  in  the  swamp,  down  Har- 
vey's Canal,  wheeling  wood  to  the  bayou  ;  was 
occupied  in  this  way  about  two  years  ;  was  after- 
ward employed  one  year  in  the  government  serv- 
ice, draying  about  the  city. 

"In  1866  returned  to  Cote  Blanche,  my  native 
place,  my  mother  and  grandmother  with  me. 
Grandmother  died  there  in  1866,  at  the  age  of 
one  hundred  and  five  years.  I  commenced  going 
to  night  school,  being  instructed  by  Emerson 
Bently.  Here  I  learned  the  alphabet.  The  same 


AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  99 

year  (1866)  I  was  married  to  Sylvia  Ann  Clay, 
who  is  still  my  companion  in  life,  and  the  mother 
of  my  six  children.  In  June,  1867, 1  was  reclaimed 
from  a  backslidden  spiritual  condition,  and  my  re- 
ligous  life  began  anew  through  the  labors  of  Rev. 
Marcus  Dale.  I  felt  deeply  impressed  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  with  the  duty  of  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel. Against  this  I  fought  until  1871,  when  I  ran 
away  to  Texas,  hoping  to  hear  no  more  from  the 
call.  Yet  it  sometimes  seemed  as  though  I  should 
die  from  misery.  I  worked  for  a  time  for  a  party 
of  carpenters  on  a  building.  I  would  sometimes 
burst  into  tears,  and  my  fellow-workmen  would 
say,  '  Wat's  de  matter  wid  ye  ?  Ye  must  ha' 
murdered  somebody/ 

"  Intense  agony  continued  for  a  time.  On  a  Sun- 
day night  I  read  the  first  chapter  of  Job,  hoping 
for  comfort ;  went  to  bed ;  had  a  vision.  Two 
men  seemed  to  be  after  me  with  a  pistol,  resolved 
to  kill  me.  Somehow  I  overcame  them  and  com- 
pelled them  to  walk  before  me  until  I  came  to  a 
white  house.  Here  I  saw  a  throne.  On  the 
throne  was  Pilate  ;  before  him  stood  the  Saviour, 
bound  with  a  new  grass  rope.  I  said,  '  They've 
crucified  my  Lord  and  Master  again.'  The 
Saviour  seemed  to  speak  and  ask,  '  Are  you  not  a 


IOO  GILBERT    ACADEMV 

Christian?"  I  shook  my  head  saying,  '  No.'  The 
third  time  of  the  question  and  answer,  he  said, 
'Yes,  you  are  a  Christian;  follow  me.'  He  then 
burst  his  bonds,  and,  walking  away  from  Pilate's 
judgment-seat,  said,  '  I've  chosen  you  to  preach 
my  word.'  I  refused.  He  then  seemed  to  lay  a 
cross  on  me.  My  shoes  came  off  my  feet  and  I 
fell  on  all  fours.  Coming  to  a  narrow  pass  I  was 
barefoot  but  going  on  my  hands  and  knees  among 
briers.  The  merciful  Redeemer  walked  by  my 
side,  having  a  book  in  his  hand,  and  would  say, 
every  now  and  then,  'I've  chosen  you  as  one  of 
my  disciples  to  bear  my  word  to  sinners.'  Then 
we  came  to  a  river.  When  I  saw  it,  and  .that  I 
could  not  cross,  I  said,  '  Lord,  if  you'll  jes'  take 
this  cross  off  me,  whatever  I  fin'  in  your  cause  to 
do  I'll  do.'  He  spoke  and  the  cross  vanished. 
He  handed  me  the  book,  saying,  '  Go  preach  my 
word.'  The  vision  was  ended. 

"Monday  morning  I  left  for  home,  not  stopping 
even  to  collect  my  back  pay.  Reached  home 
Tuesday,  and  preached  Tuesday  night.  Forty- 
one  persons  came  forward  as  mourners.  More 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  converted  about 
there  in  six  months.  For  certain  reasons  satis- 
factory to  ourselves  left  Mr.  Dale's  church  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  1CM 

came  over  to  join  Father  Green,  at  the   Home, 
which  was  opened  in  1867. 

"  I  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher  by  the  Quar- 
terly Conference  July  7,  1874,  and  was  recom- 
mended to  the  Annual  Conference  in  December, 
1874.  Was  admitted  to  the  Annual  Conference 
on  trial  in  January,  1875,  at  the  session  held  in 
the  First  Street  Church,  New  Orleans,  Bishop 
Foster  presiding.  Was  not  elected  to  orders  on 
Saturday,  but  was  elected  on  Monday,  and  was  or- 
dained deacon  on  Monday,  being  alone.  The  class 
had  been  ordained  on  Sunday.  Was  appointed 
to  Cote  Blanche  and  Week's  Island.  Made  my 
residence  this  year  at  the  Home  ;  attended  La 
Teche  Seminary,  and  recited  theology  to  Dr.  W. 
D.  Godman.  I  sought  the  experience  of  holiness, 
being  much  influenced  thereto  by  Mrs.  Godman. 
The  night  that  I  experienced  that  great  salvation 
we  had  public  service  in  the  chapel.  A  hymn 
was  sung  that  I  never  heard  before,  thus : 

"  '  My  God,  I  know  I  feel  thee  mine, 

And  will  not  quit  my  claim, 
Till  all  I  have  is  lost  in  thee, 

And  all  renewed  I  am.' 

The  great  joy  of  the  blessing  came  to  me  after  I 
went  to  my   home.     The  next  year,   1876,  I  was 


IO2  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

reappointed  to  Glencoe  and  the  islands,  and  re- 
moved to  Cypremort.  I  studied  at  the  public 
school  at  the  island  under  Mr.  Thompson.  Was 
reappointed  in  1877  In  1878  was  appointed  by 
Bishop  Harris  to  Clinton  Street  Church,  Carrol- 
ton.  This  was  the  year  of  the  appearance  of  yel- 
low fever  in  New  Orleans.  I  visited  among  the 
sick  constantly  until  I  was  myself  taken  with 
the  fever.  After  much  suffering  I  recovered.  At- 
tended the  New  Orleans  University,  which  was 
then  at  the  corner  of  Camp  and  Race  Streets. 
Dr.  J.  H.  McCarty  taught  theology  part  of  the 
year,  and  Rev.  A.  A.  Johnson  part. 

"  During  the  time  of  my  youth,  when  I  was  con- 
templating the  ministry,  Mr.  H presented  me 

with  a  set  of  Clarke's  Commentary,  and  Miss 
H —  -  gave  me  a  fine  Bible,  urging  me  to  stay 
and  preach  to  the  people  of  the  Island.  During 
the  ten  years  from  1866  to  1876  I  worked  much  at 
sugarhouses.  I  learned  the  cooper's  trade,  and 
could  put  up  two  and  one  half  hogsheads  in  £ 
day.  I  had  in  boyhood  among  the  mechanics 
learned  how  to  manage  an  engine.  I  was  second 
engineer  for  five  years  during  the  sugar  season, 
and  first  engineer  about  the  same  length  of  time. 
I  could  take  an  engine  apart  and  put  it  together 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  103 

again.  Sometimes  did  farm  work,  plowing  and 
cutting  cane.  Have  cut  three  and  a  half  cords  of 
wood  many  a  day  from  6  A.  M.  to  3  p.  M." 


NEW  ORLEANS  UNIVERSITY. 
January,  1876. — A  colored  preacher,  address- 
ing the  students :  "  Young  men,  remember  these 
privileges  have  been  twice  bought  with  blood — 
with  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus,  'as  of  a  lamb 
without  blemish  and  without  spot,'  and  with  the 
blood  of  our  fathers  and  brethren,  who  fought  and 
died  for  our  freedom." 


CONVERSATION  ON  STEAMER— TWO  SOUTHERN 
WHITE  MEN. 

ONE  said,  addressing  the  company :  "  You 
know  me,  gentlemen.  You  are  well  aware  of  my 
circumstances  before  the  war ;  that  I  lived  in  afflu- 
ence, and  my  family  knew  no  want.  The  war 
made  me  a  poor  man  ;  but  I  reflected  that  I  had 
a  wife  whom  I  had  sworn  to  provide  for,  and  chil- 
dren whom  I  loved  and  must  take  care  of.  I  felt 
that  I  could  not  respect  myself  and  neglect  them. 
I  therefore  resolved  to  do  whatever  I  could  turn 


1O4  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

my  hand  to  for  a  living.  I  have  done  various 
things  to  earn  my  bread  and  feed  my  family,  and 
always  with  success.  I  am  now  on  my  way  up 
the  bayou  to  take  charge  of  another  man's  plan- 
tation and  to  take  off  his  crop.  I  can  do  it,  and 
expect  to  do  it  well.  Who  knows  but  that  some 
change  of  affairs  may  yet  make  me  a  rich  man 
again  ?  " 

The  other  said  :  "  The  war  deprived  me  of  my 
slaves  and  of  all  my  wealth.  I  had  no  trade,  no 
sure  way  of  making  a  livelihood  ;  but,  seeing  a 
man  repairing  some  cane-seat  chairs  one  day,  I 
watched  him  carefully,  and  at  the  end  concluded 
I  could  do  as  much.  Putting  aside  all  pride,  I 
went  about  in  New  Orleans  and  sought  jobs,  and 
in  a  short  time  found  myself  the  proprietor  of  a 
second-hand  chair  shop,  with  a  pretty  fair  busi- 
ness. When  the  Union  troops  were  occupying 
New  Orleans  there  came  to  my  shop  one  day  a 
Union  officer,  who  said  he  needed  a  secretary,  and 
had  learned  that  I  was  a  good  penman.  He  in- 
quired if  I  would  serve  him.  He  offered  one  dol- 
lar and  fifty  cents  per  day.  I  replied  that  I  would 
give  him  an  answer  Monday  evening,  this  being 
Saturday.  He  replied  that  he  must  have  my 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  1 05 

services  Monday  morning,  if  it  all.  I  reflected 
that  this  Union  officer  must  have  something: 

O 

good  in  him  to  offer  the  position  to  me,  a  Con- 
fed.,  and  I  concluded  that,  inasmuch  as  I  should 
be  dismissed  from  secretarial  duties  at  4  p.  M.,  I 
could  give  some  hours  every  evening  to  my  trade 
so  newly  acquired,  thereby  retaining  the  business. 
Therefore  I  would  enter  his  service  Monday 
morning.  I  continued  in  his  service  until  the 
troops  left  the  city,  and  thereby,  in  addition  to 
my  chair-mending,  I  got  a  start  in  business,  to 
which  I  owe  my  present  success." 


A  DAY'S  OCCUPATION. 

March,  1876. — Rose  to-day  at  6  o'clock  A.  M. 
Went  to  market  ;  bought  bread,  celery,  and  beef- 
steak. After  a  few  little  settings  to  rights  of 
books  and  papers,  went  to  the  office  and  wrote  and 
dispatched  notices  of  a  meeting  of  the  Orphans' 
Home  Society  for  next  Friday  night.  Then  or- 
dered sweeping  of  the  school  gallery  ;  inspected 
the  rooms  and  halls  ;  ordered  the  bell  rung  ;  had 
some  conversation  with  a  couple  of  students  ; 
bell  rang  again  ;  chapel  service ;  led  students 


IO6  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

below  who   belonged   in  the  lower  rooms  ;  went 
above  and  addressed  the  young  ladies  ;  dismissed 
them  and  returned  to  the  lower  rooms  ;  addressed 
the  young  men  and  dismissed  them  ;  Mrs.  G — 
sick ;  sent  boys  to  designated   rooms  with   song 

books  for  an  hour  of  practice  ;  paid  Miss  M , 

a  teacher,  five  dollars  ;  went  to  Mrs.  G 's  reci- 
tation room  and  heard  her  classes,  except  the 
French,  namely,  first  arithmetic,  second  arith- 
metic, physiology ;  omitted  my  Greek  class,  as 
they  were  unprepared.  Ordered  silence  and  de- 
corum in  the  room  about  forty  times  ;  went  once 
to  the  door  to  see  a  caller  ;  went  below  once  to 
jerk  a  lawless  boy.  At  12  M.  called  all  the  stu- 
dents together  in  the  chapel ;  singing  and  prayer  ; 
addressed  them,  while  they  listened  with  eager 
interest,  on  attention,  progress,  and  examinations; 
dismissed  them  ;  went  to  the  office  and  wrote  four 
or  five  receipts  for  fees ;  gave  advice  to  sundry 
persons,  and  sent  some  home. 

Dined  at  i  p.  M.  on  beefsteak,  jelly,  bread  and 
butter,  and  tea  ;  rested  twenty  minutes,  sitting  in 
a  rocking-chair  ;  shaved  my  chin  ;  went  to  St. 
Charles  Street ;  took  car  to  Perdido  Street ; 
thence  walked  to  73  Carondelet  Street ;  had  an 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  IO7 

interview  of  one  half-hour  with  Mr.   R ,  and 

arranged  to  go  with  him  a  week  from  next  Satur- 
day, to  view  properties  ;  went  thence  via  Perdido, 
St.  Charles,  Commercial  Alley,  Camp,  Poydras, 
and  Pedee,  down  to  Old  Levee,  and  thence 
around  by  some  other  street  to  New  Levee,  mak- 
ing inquiries  at  numerous  places  for  the  prices  of 
flour  and  of  shoulders.  Found  a  good  firm  to 
deal  with  in  A.  F.  Hickman,  35  New  Levee. 
They  seem  disposed  to  understand  one's  wants, 
and  then,  if  possible,  to  meet  them.  They  also 
talk  English — that  is,  American,  and  that  is  a  de- 
sideratum. I  therefore  purchased  of  them  for 
Seelyc,  superintendent  of  Orphans'  Home  at  La 
Teche : 

1  bbl.  shoulders $19  74 

2  bbls.  flour ii  oo 

Drayage 40 

Freight  prepaid I  95 


$33  09 

For  F.  Patty : 

\  bbl.  flour $3  25 

65  Ibs.  shoulders  and  sack 6  25 

Freight 50 


To  be  shipped  this  evening.  $10  oo 

Thence  to  Fellman   Brothers,  133  Canal  Street 
— Dr.    Hartzell    now   accompanying    me — to   re- 


IO8  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

quest  them  not  to  sue  a  claim  against  Mrs.  Rob- 
erts, the  former  matron  of  the  Orphans'  Home, 
until  we  could  make  an  effort  in  her  behalf.  They 
promised  to  wait  only  until  Saturday.  Thence  alone 
to  F.  L.  Richardson's  office,  to  learn  whither  to  go 
in  order  to  pay  costs  (Dr.  Hartzell  being  presi- 
dent and  the  writer  corresponding  secretary  of 
the  Orphans'  Home  Society,  we  often  tramped 
together  to  raise  money,  pay  debts,  etc.)  on  suit 
of  McHugh  &  Co.;  thence  to  Gresham's,  Camp 
Street,  and  then  made  a  bill  of  stationery  for 
Seelyc,  as  follows : 

i  ream  note Si  oo 

i  ream  note .    i   75 

£  ream  cap % I  oo 

Pk.  of  blotters ... 25 

Freight 50 


$4  5° 

Thence,  by  street  car,  home,  at  188  Race 
Street ;  sat  down  to  write  Seelyc  ;  Professor  Col- 
lins called  a  moment.  I  remembered  that  I  had 
left  somewhere  three  valuable  newspapers  pur- 
chased at  Haley's  as  I  went  through  Commercial 
Alley.  Collins  promised  to  call  at  Gresham's  and 
inquire  for  them;  Jimmy  Lynch  called  to  ask  for 
two  stamps  for  Drew  and  Davis,  two  of  our  the- 
ologues  ;  they  were  sent ;  proceeded  with  my  let- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  1 09 

ter;  finished,  inclosed  the  bills,  and  sent  the 
letter ;  then  wrote  part  of  a  report  for  the  Or- 
phans' Home  Society  ;  next  mailed  my  letter  to 
Seelyc  ;  went  to  Beck's  and  purchased  some  lemon 
crackers ;  returned  and  sat  down  for  a  few  min- 
utes to  ruminate  ;  brought  in  the  canary  from  the 
gallery;  Inie  brought  in  my  cup  of  tea,  as  she 
had  done  my  breakfast  and  dinner ;  wife  is  ill  and 
in  bed;  Professor  Collins  called  and  talked  over 
his  invention  of  a  tourist's  umbrella — very  inge- 
nious and  destined  to  succeed — of  which  the 
peculiarity  is  that  it  slides  so  as  to  be  in  small 
compass  when  not  in  use.  After  he  retired  I 
took  up  my  book  and  made  this  day's  memo- 
randa. 

It  is  now  9:45  P.  M.  and  I  shall  soon  to  bed. 
A  busy  day  has  it  been,  but  not  much  more  so 
than  other  days. 

April,  1876. — One  of  the  students  came  to  the 

door  and  said,  "  Mrs.  G wants  her  Nadde- 

mack."  "What  on  earth  can  that  be?"  I  asked 
her  to  repeat  two  or  three  times.  Still  I  could 
not  imagine  it;  but  Inie  put  her  head  out  of  the 
bedroom  door  and  said,  "It's  on  the  table  so  and 
so."  Then  I  discovered  it  was  the  Anatomy  that 
was  wanted. 


110  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

March,  1876. — Colored  people  are  averse  to 
children's  church  membership — don't  like  to  have 
anybody  pray  in  public  except  baptized  church 
members.  A  man  refused  to  pray  yesterday, 
when  called  on  by  a  sister  in  a  small  assembly, 
because  he  did  not  consider  himself  authorized. 
An  old  church  member,  on  one  occasion,  refused 
to  pray  when  called  on.  Afterward  he  relieved 
his  mind  by  saying  that  he  was  troubled  because 
some  children  had  prayed  at  the  request  of  their 
teacher,  a  white  woman. 

One  woman,  chiding  some  children  who  essayed 
to  talk  about  religion  and  church  membership, 
and  had  been  trained  by  a  missionary  teacher, 
said,  "You  ?  What  you  know  about  'ligion  ?  You 
bin  to  hell  ?  You  bin  to  he'v'n  ?  No  ?  Den 
you  knows  nuttin'  'bout  it."  They  usually  "go  to 
hell "  when  under  conviction  and  "  to  he'v'n  "  when 
forgiven. 


A  PREACHERS'  MEETING  IN  NEW  ORLEANS. 

February,  1877. — It  *s  trie  practice  of  the  meet- 
ing this  year  to  study  a  Bible  lesson  for  an 
hour,  all  the  preachers,  white  and  colored,  taking 
part,  and  many  interesting  questions  being  raised 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  Ill 

are  discussed  from  divers  and  original  points  of 
view. 

At  the  time  now  in  mind  we  were  studying  the 
account  of  Peter's  visit  to  Cornelius  (Acts  x). 
The  question  was  upon  the  relation  of  Cornelius 
to  the  Gospel  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ — whether 
he  was  a  heathen,  a  Jewish  proselyte,  or  a  Chris- 
tian. There  were  among  us  representatives  of 

these  several  views.  Dr.  M was  inclined  to 

think  him  (Cornelius)  a  believer,  if  not  a  full- 
born  Christian.  Several  brethren  thought  he 
must  have  been  acquainted  with  the  Gospel  story 
at  least.  Some  of  the  many  who  witnessed  the 
scenes  of  Pentecost  might,  it  was  thought,  have 

informed  Cornelius.  Brother  K thought  him 

a  heathen,  and  quoted  Paul's  words,  that,  "  The 
Gentiles,  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  them- 
selves." 

The  chairman,  Brother  H ,  raised  the  ques- 
tion, which,  he  said,  was  of  great  interest  to  him, 
whether  there  is  in  the  doctrine  of  the  lesson  a 
philosophy  of  Christian  missions — whether  Gen- 
tiles need  the  Gospel  in  order  to  their  salvation  ? 
Needing  it,  does  the  Spirit  prepare  their  hearts 
for  it,  and  raise  up  the  instruments  for  sending  it 
to  them  ? 


112  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

On  the  first  question  all  agreed  that,  although 
some  heathen  may  be  saved  in  obedience  to  the 
light  already  in  possession,  the  vast  majority  of 
them  so  violate  their  own  moral  convictions  as  to 
be  subject  to  condemnation  already,  and  in  need 
of  the  proclamation  of  mercy. 

The  second  question  opened  a  wide  field  of 
thought,  and  every  mind  was  quickened  with  the 
persuasion  that  the  Holy  Spirit  does  now  convey 
truth  to  our  minds — an  intimation,  at  least,  of 
the  divine  will. 

The  chairman  gave  direction  to  thought  by- 
raising  the  inquiry  whether  we  should  expect 
visions  and  voices  now,  his  intention  probably 
being  to  fortify  the  minds  of  the  colored  brethren 
against  the  excessive  leaning  among  the  colored 
people  to  that  kind  of  experience. 

One  of  the  colored  pastors  told  of  his  experi- 
ence in  repressing  the  habit  of  his  people  to  sup- 
port all  their  opinions  and  advices  by  revelations 
and  visions.  He  thought  the  whole  suffered  evil 
from  it.  He  was  doubtless  correct. 

One  of  the  white  brethren,  not  willing  that 
skepticism  should  be  supported  by  admissions  too 
large,  advanced  the  belief  that  God,  or  the  Holy 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  113 

Spirit,  who,  according  to  the  divine  word,  does 
teach  us,  adapts  his  teaching  to  the  needs  of 
his  disciples,  and  no  doubt  finds  some  who  are 
more  teachable  through  the  imagination  than 
through  the  other  powers  of  the  soul.  To  such 
he  may  vouchsafe  a  vision,  which  is  equivalent  to 
an  allegory.  He  cited  the  well-known  case  of  an 
African  girl  brought  to  Boston  many  years  ago 
in  a  large  company  of  slaves,  and  mentioned  by 
Mrs.  Stowe  in  her  Key  to  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin. 

This  aroused  the  colored  brethren.  Brother 
V—  -  said :  "In  the  year  -  -  I  was  on  the 
district  and  held  Quarterly  Meeting  at  Houma. 
When  about  to  preach  there,  Sunday  morning,  I 
was  startled  by  the  appearance  before  me  of  Sam 
Turner.  He  was  a  local  preacher,  a  pertic'lar 
friend  of  mine.  He  alluz  said  he  wanted  me  to 
preach  his  fun'ral  sermont  when  he  died.  I  was 
sho'  now  'ut  Sam  wuz  dead,  though  he  was  alive 
and  well  as  ever  when  I  left  home  Friday.  I 
turned  and  said  to  Brother  -  — ,  '  Sam  Turner  is 
dead,  and  I  must  go  right  back  to-morrow  mornin' 
and  'tend  his  fun'ral.'  Next  mornin'  I  did  come 
right  back  to  New  Orleans  and  found  'ut  Sam 
Turner  was  dead.  I  'tended  his  fun'ral  an' 


114  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

preached  the  fun'ral  sermont.  Now,  I've  no  more 
doubt  that  I  saw  Sam  Turner  a  Sunday  mornin' 
'an  I  doubt  'ut  I'm  a  sittin'  right  hyur,  nor  never 
had." 

Then  it  came  Father  G 's  turn.    He  was  now 

living  in  the  city,  having  removed  from  La  Teche. 
He  is  a  veteran.  Threescore  years  and  ten  have 
marked  themselves  on  his  brow,  and  he  has  seen 
all  the  mysteries  of  the  slave  period,  as  well  as  en- 
joyed the  glories  of  the  present  freedom. 

He  said:  "  I  kin  tell  yo'  what  I  knows.  'Bout 
twenty  years  ago,  or  more'n  that,  —  —  came  to  me 
and  wanted  me  to  buy  the  freedom  of  his  child. 
I'd  bought  myself,  and  he  know'd  how  I  could 
tend  to't  for  him.  He  jes'  put  two  hundred  dol- 
lars in  my  hand  fur  to  buy  that  girl.  Well,  I  tol' 
him  not  to  be  in  a  hurry  an'  I'd  see  'bout  it. 
That  wuz  fo'  de  wah.  And  'bout  dat  time  I  wuz 
thinkin'  an'  prayin'  I  saw  a  flock  of  people  a 
comin'  up  de  Miss'ippi  River  wid  bluecoats  on 
an'  wings  right  up  de  river,  an'  I  know'd  de  free- 
dom wuz  comin' ;  so  I  kep'  de  two  hundred  dol- 
lars, an'  sho'  nuff  yeahs  arter  come  de  bluecoats 
an'  Gen'ral  Butler,  and  de  rebs  had  to  clar  out, 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  115 

an'  I  said,  '  Now  it's  a  cominV  When  Mr.  Lin- 
coln's proclamation  come,  den  I  said,  '  Here  it  is,' 
an'  I  went  an'  got  de  girl  an'  took  her  to  her 
father  and  give  him  de  two  hundred  dollars  and 
tole  him,  '  Hyur's  yer  girl,  an'  de  money  too.'  " 

During  the  same   conversation  Father  G 

illustrated  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit  in  those  who 
could  not  read  by  the  case  of  a  girl  whom  he 
bought  in  times  of  slavery,  and  who  became  his 
wife,  by  paying  for  her  seven  hundred  dollars. 
When  a  slave  she  would  attend  religious  meet- 
ings against  her  master's  will.  Every  Monday 
she  was  whipped.  While  the  lashes  fell  on  her 
back  she  responded,  "  You  may  whip  me,  but 
give  me  Jesus." 


CONVERSATION  WITH  MR.  R ,  NEW  ORLEANS. 

April,  1877. — G. — "Mr.  R ,  do  you  think 

political  matters  will  soon  be  adjusted  ?  " 

R. — "  Yes.  They  are  coming  round  slowly.  I 
tell  some  of  our  people  that  I  believe  it  is  best 
that  these  things  were  not  arranged  as  soon  as  we 
desired,  for  we  are  a  very  excitable,  passionate 
people,  and  we  might,  in  our  excitement,  have 


Il6  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

done  some  bad  things.  Now  I  think  it  will  all  be 
settled  peacefully." 

G. — "  I  think  Mr.  Hayes  will  do  what  is  right. 
I  know  him.  He  is  slow  to  reach  conclusions, 
but  firm  in  the  ground  once  taken.  This  problem 
is  too  great  to  be  solved  in  a  day." 

R. — "We  have  no  right  to  expect  Mr.  Hayes  to 
do  anything  for  us.  We  did  all  we  could  to  de- 
feat him,  and  it's  very  generous  in  him  to  do  any- 
thing for  us." 

G. — "  I'm  not  much  of  a  believer  in  carpet-bag 
government.  I  think  a  people  who  are  regarded 
as  citizens,  and  not  as  outlaws,  should  have  the 
management  of  their  own  affairs.  But  I  am  con- 
cerned that  the  rights  of  the  colored  man  should 
be  regarded  as  exactly  equal  to  those  of  a  white 
man,  and  he  be  treated  fairly." 

R. — "  The  Negro  is  a  very  fiendish  creature. 
When  angry  or  drunk  he  is  the  most  terrible  of 
all  beings." 

G. — "  The  low  German  or  Irishman  is  just  as 
brutish  as  the  lowest  Negro.  We  all  have  a  low 
origin,  and  have  become  improved  by  long  ages 
of  culture;  but  I  hope  there  is  a  good  future 
for  us." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  I  I/ 

CONDITION    OF   SOME. 

THERE  are  a  few  colored  folks  who  would  rather 
like  to  be  slaves  again,  "  'kase  they  had  better  times 
then  ; "  but  these  are  the  fellows  who  have  no 
ability  in  taking  care  of  themselves  and  their 
families,  or  who  have  been  demoralized  by  drink, 
or  they  are  women  demoralized  by  lust. 

There  are  some  who  were  born  free  and  hold 
themselves  aloof  from  those  who  they  know  were 
born  slaves.  These  are  generally  so  proud  of 
their  blood  as  to  make  little  effort  for  self-support 
and  profit.  They  have  their  reward — poverty. 
Of  those  who  were  born  slaves  and  were  eman- 
cipated, many  are  industrious  and  successful.  A 
friend  said  he  could  count  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  in  New  Orleans  who  were  worth 
twenty  thousand  dollars  each,  or  more.  In  the 
parishes  are  similar  facts.  Some  of  them  own 
farms  and  give  chanty  to  the  high-bloods  who 
won't  work. 


NEW   ORLEANS    UNIVERSITY,    1877.    ' 
WHEN  the  cart  and  hose  of  the  Sanitary  Ex- 
cavating Committee  came  round  they  placed  their 
hose  as  usual  and  undertook  their  merciful  busi- 


Il8  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

ness.  The  man  in  charge  of  the  cart  was  neg- 
lectful, not  removing,  as  he  should  have  done,  the 
cap  to  an  escape  pipe.  The  result  was  that  un- 
der pressure  an  explosion  took  place,  which  had 
most  odorous  consequences.  The  sound  was 
shocking.  The  mules  took  "  French  leave  "  and 
went  galloping  up  the  street — Camp  Street.  The 
cartman  followed  their  example  and  sought  their 
capture.  The  neighbors  came  to  their  doors  to 
investigate,  which  required  but  a  moment,  and 
the  doors  were  quickly  shut.  A  colored  man  who 
was  superintending  the  business,  full  of  fun  at 
public  expense,  kept  shouting  to  all  interested 
listeners,  "  De  Yanks  hab'  come."  The  listeners 
were  too  much  convulsed  with  laughter  to  hold 
their  noses  any  longer. 


A   CRANK. 

A  GENTLEMAN  from  New  York,  proprietor  of 
plantations,  was  a  consumptive.  A  young  colored 
girl  told  him  that  alligator  flesh  would  cure  con- 
sumption. The  gentleman  ordered  an  alligator, 
which  was  soon  forthcoming ;  had  the  tail,  which 
is  the  edible  part,  first  parboiled,  then  fried  to  per- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  IIQ 

faction.  When  the  dainty  dish  was  brought  be- 
fore our  consumptive  friend  he  hesitated,  could 
not  quite  stomach  the  thing,  so  he  offered  a  col- 
ored youth  who  was  in  his  employ  a  dollar  and 
fifty  cents  to  eat  some  of  it  first.  The  offer  was 
promptly  accepted,  and  cauda  crocodili  began  to 
disappear.  "  Hold  on  there,"  said  our  friend,  and 
.took  the  remainder  himself.  His  final  conclusion 
was,  "  I  am  a  fool  for  paying  that  money." 


A  LAD  WHO  BECAME  A  CHRISTIAN. 
JOHN  is  a  mulatto ;  the  writer  knows  him  well, 
having  been  sometime  his  teacher.  Years  ago  he 
was  a  stable  boy  for  a  livery  keeper  in  the  village 
of .  He  was  faithful  to  his  duties,  the  pro- 
prietor leaving  all  in  his  charge — twenty  horses, 
many  carriages  and  buggies,  etc.  Sunday  was 
the  great  day  for  the  business.  John  received 
twenty-five  dollars  a  month  and  board.  He  one 
day  rode  a  man's  horse  in  a  race  outside  the  vil- 
lage limits.  The  horse  became  frantic,  ran  away 
and  rushed  down  the  village  streets,  until  at  length 
he  turned  up  to  the  jail  door  and  stopped.  Run- 
ning a  horse  thus  in  the  village  was  in  violation 
of  an  ordinance,  and  the  penalty  was  three  dollars 


I2O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

and  fifty  cents,  or  imprisonment  for  twenty-four 
hours.  The  constable,  coming  up,  said,  "John,  I 
arrest  you.  You  will  have  to  go  to  jail  or  pay  me 
three  dollars  and  fifty  cents."  "  But,"  said  John, 
"  I  could  not  help  it.  The  horse  runned  away 
with  me.  I  done  all  I  could  to  stop  him."  "  Can't 
help  that."  "  Well,  I'd  ruther  pay  three  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  than  go  to  jail  ;  I  reckon  Mr.  — 
will  pay  it  for  me."  So  they  went  to  the  stable. 
The  constable  was  inexorable,  and  the  money  was 
paid. 

John  continued  his  service  awhile  longer,  to  the 
great  satisfaction  of  his  employer.  One  day  he 
seemed  to  himself  to  hear  a  voice  from  within 
saying :  "  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor  and  do  all  thy 
work  :  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord  thy  God  :  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work," 
etc. — Fourth  Commandment.  John  was  not  a 
Christian,  but  the  commandment  came.  It  trou- 
bled him.  In  a  few  days  he  told  his  employer  that 
he  wished  to  leave  his  employ ;  that  he  might  get 
some  one  in  his  place.  The  employer  was  sur- 
prised, and  asked  many  questions.  The  young 
man  told  him  he  could  no  longer  work  on  the 
Sabbath  ;  if  he  wished,  he  could  work  for  him  six 


AND   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  121 

days,  and  until  nine  o'clock  Saturday  night,  but 
he  could  not  work  any  more  on  Sunday.  The 
employer  declined  the  suggestion ;  he  could  not 
spare  him  Sundays,  that  was  the  best  day  of  the 
week,  etc.  The  young  man  said,  "  I  must 
leave  your  service  next  Saturday  night."  "  Well," 
said  the  employer,"  it  is  the  middle  of  the  month, 
and  I  owe  you  twelve  dollars  and  fifty  cents." 
"  Very  well,"  said  John,  "  you  may  keep  the  money, 
I  don't  care  about  it,  I  must  go."  The  liveryman 
secured  John's  half-brother  to  take,  his  place. 
Sometime  afterward,  meeting  John,  he  said,  "  I've 
given  the  money  I  owed  you  to  Charles."  "  Very 
well,"  said  John,  "  I'm  willing  he  should  have  it" 
Months  passed  by  ;  they  met  again.  The  quon- 
dam employer  said,  "  You're  a  Christian,  ain't  ye  ?" 
John  answered,  "  I  was  not  when  I  left  you,  but  I 
am  now."  "  What  are  you  doing?"  "I'm  chop- 
ping wood,  and  make  about  thirty-five  dollars  a 
month."  "  Well,  here's  the  twelve  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  I  owe  you  ;  come  to  see  me  whenever 
you  come  to  town." 

6 


122  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

BOY  SOLDIERS. 

DURING  the  war,  while  the  white  men  were 
slaughtering  each  other,  the  colored  boys 
thought  to  take  lessons  in  the  art  of  war.  The 
boys  on  two  adjoining  plantations  organized 
themselves  into  companies  and  made  war  against 
each  other,  the  canal  between  the  two  plan- 
tations being  the  line  of  attack  and  defense. 
They  began  with  wooden  swords.  A  Union 
officer  was  at 's  house.  Our  boy,  John,  see- 
ing the  officer  lay  by  his  sword  and  go  to  din- 
ner, took  the  sword,  laid  it  on  the  floor,  and 
marked  out  its  outline  on  the  floor  with  a  coal. 
From  that  pattern  he  whittled  out  twenty-five 
swords  for  his  company  and  kept  them  supplied. 
He  was  the  drummer.  Afterward  they  found 
some  muskets  that  had  been  left  by  Union 
soldiers.  These  they  cut  in  two  by  means 
of  files,  plugged  one  end  of  each  with  a  plug 
of  live  oak,  drilled  a  pinhole  in  each  half  mus- 
ket for  a  touch-hole,  and  so  furnished  them- 
selves with  cannon.  They  found  a  piece  of 
large  iron  tubing  in  a  sugarhouse,  and  of 
that  they  made  a  cannon  of  larger  caliber. 
They  procured  powder,  loaded  with  nails,  buck- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  123 

shot,  etc.  They  made  real  war  now,  shot  one 
or  two  persons  almost  fatally,  and  then  were 
stopped. 


A  PRESCRIPTION. 

A  CONSUMPTIVE  white  man,  visiting  in  Louisi- 
ana, was  informed  that  a  certain  gentleman  had 
cured  himself  of  consumption  by  riding  a  hard- 
trotting  horse  three  times  a  day.  He  thereupon 
purchased  an  old  horse  and  rode  him  one 
day.  Thereafter  he  proposed  to  give  away  the 
horse,  and  charged  his  friendly  adviser  with  intent 
to  kill. 

November  28,  1881. — A  beautiful  day.  Ther- 
mometer sixty-five  to  seventy  degrees  Fahrenheit. 
The  sun,  with  gentle  ray,  warms  up  the  world. 
Air,  as  balmy  as  was  Eden's,  makes  it  a  luxury 
to  breathe ;  yet  at  dawn  was  a  heavy  fog.  Suc- 
cession and  contrast  make  the  charm  of  life.  I 
am  supremely  happy  in  thee,  O  Lord.  Many 
things  adverse — so  esteemed,  so  they  appear. 
But  I  am  not  in  their  power.  I  am  in  thee,  thou 
Sun  of  righteousness,  thou  Beauty  of  Holiness. 
What  a  joy  to  do  something,  and  do  it  for  thee! 


124  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

DAILY  GLEANING. 

"  THE  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  which  is  given  unto  us  "  (Rom.  v,  5). 

The  natural  heart  does  not  love  God  ;  only  the 
soul  that  has  been  begotten  above  nature. 

We  have  spirit,  soul,  and  body  in  our  constitu- 
tion (See  i  Thess.  v,  23). 

Caste,  malice,  every  form  of  selfishness,  origi- 
nates in  the  soul  (psyche),  the  pig  part  of  our  na- 
ture. Such  things  are  foreign  to  spirit.  When 
spirit  goes  down  from  its  own  sphere  and  becomes 
subject  to  soul  (psyche),  to  piggishness,  then  it 
becomes  depraved.  This  is  "  the  fall."  Sin  is  both 
hereditary  and  habitual.  Tt  is  natural;  therefore, 
it  is  the  subjection  of  spirit  to  soul. 

November  29. — An  exalted  and  holy  friend 
writes :  "  The  earth  grows  dark  and  extremely 
dreary  to  me  toward  the  end  of  my  journey.  It 
seems  very  empty,  and,  what  distresses  me  more, 
my  faith  is  not  cheerful.  There  is  nothing  for 
me  but  the  future,  and  the  vision  of  that  is  griev- 
ously clouded.  The  way  appears  obscure." 

These  are  touching  words,  the  language  of  a 
very  wise  man.  If  I  mistake  riot  he  has  brought 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  125 

darkness  on  himself  by  striving  to  understand 
what  is  at  present  beyond  mortal  ken.  Thou, 
heavenly  Teacher,  dost  thou  not  teach  me  that 
my  understanding  is  as  much  to  be  renounced  as 
my  appetites  ?  Thou  givest  me  joy  in  listen- 
ing to  thy  voice  and  waiting  for  the  explanations 
until  I  am  prepared  for  them.  Thou  bidst  me 
learn  what  I  can,  and  cheerfully  submit  to  be 
ignorant  of  some  things.  My  beloved  friends 
thou  hast  taken  away.  They  have  never,  to  my 
knowledge,  revisited  these  terrestrial  scenes  ;  have 
never  made  themselves  known  to  me,  although  I 
would  fain  believe  they  have  sometimes  minis- 
tered to  me.  But  I  am  sure  thou  hast  them  in 
safe-keeping.  They  are  not  lost. 

I  know  God  personally  as  I  know  my  fellow- 
man.  I  see  no  man's  spirit  with  corporeal  eye.  I 
discern  the  thinking,  spiritual  something  in  a  fel- 
low-man. I  apprehend  it  with  a  spiritual  percep- 
tion, which  involves  or  includes  no  specific  organ 
subjective  and  no  form  objective.  One  thinking 
essence  simply  cognizes  another — just  as  I  cog- 
nize myself — in  thought.  Thus  man  cognizes 
God,  and  has  no  more  doubt  of  the  divine  ex- 
istence than  he  has  of  his  own.  This  is  just  as 


126  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

true  of  savage  as  of  civilized  man.  This  is  the 
light  that  makes  man  receptive  of  the  new 
birth,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  the  Good  Shep- 
herd, etc. 

December  4. — No  doubts,  no  fears  that  are  de- 
liberative and  reflective.  These,  I  thank  thee, 
divine  Teacher,  were  long  ago  silenced.  Doubts 
are  of  myself ;  fears,  lest  enemies  should  be  more 
"prudent  "  than  I.  Enemies?  Yes.  Thou  know- 
est.  They  are  as  numerous  as  the  blackbirds  in 
the  marshes.  Do  they  not  arise  because  of  my 
adhesion  to  thee  ?  Are  they  not  thine  enemies  ? 
They  strive  daily  to  break  down  our  work  for 
thee.  O  Lord,  give  them  a  better  heart  and  a 
wiser  judgment.  I  am  trusting  thee.  Thou  art 
stronger  than  all  that  are  against  us. 

December  1 1. — How  many  are  thy  thoughts 
toward  us  ?  (Psalms.)  Blessed  be  thy  name  be- 
cause thou  dost  not  forget  me.  Thine  ears  are 
toward  my  heart.  Thou  art  fully  sensible  of  my 
joys  and  trials.  I  ought  to  be  glad  if  thou 
shouldst  neglect  me  in  order  to  attend  to  others. 
I  am  glad  this  neglect  is  not  necessary  ;  that  in 
giving  heed  to  me  thou  needst  not  neglect  an- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  I2/ 

other.  I  am  consoled  in  the  knowledge  that  the 
enmity  of  men  cannot  prejudice  thee.  I  rejoice 
that  while  thou  seest  they  are  unjust  to  me  still 
thou  lovest  them  and  wilt  not  suffer  them  to  go 
too  far  for  thy  glory. 

November  27,  1882. — Yesterday  Brother  L 

preached  from  "  Let  this  mind  be  in  you  which 
was  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  made  the  lesson  of  the 
text  that  we  should  have  the  disposition  of  Jesus; 
that  disposition  was,  i.  Gentleness  ;  2.  Self-denial ; 
3.  Humility.  The  Sunday  school  contribution 
for  missions,  taken  in  envelopes,  was  four  dollars 
and  fifty-five  cents. 

In  the  evening  was  this  conversation : 

Mother. — "  G is  so  unbelieving;  has  a  habit 

of  doubting ;  you  know  there's  a  heap  of  devils. 
You  know — what's  his  name  ? — Milton  speaks  of 
little  devils  comin'  through  the  small  holes  in  the 
gates." 

G. — "  Why,  ma  !  that's  poetry." 

Mother  (turning  away  with  disgust  and  lifting 

her  left  hand  repulsively). — "  Ah,  nonsense,  G ." 

I  laughed  with  uncontrollable  laughter,  while  the 
mother  went  on  to  say,  "  If  it's  poetry,  it's  just  as 
things  are.  Now,  doctor,  what  do  you  think? 


128  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Don't  people  sometimes  go  so  far  in  sin  that 
they  can't  be  saved,  and  God  gives  'em  over  ?  " 

Dr. — "  I  don't  know  exactly ;  I  hardly  know 
what  to  say.  I  think  God  will  save  anybody  that 
will  repent,  if  it's  the  devil  himself." 

Mother. — "  But  then,  doctor,  they  can't  repent." 

Dr. — "How  do  we  know  that?  It  seems 
out  of  their  power ;  but  suppose  them  to  be  in 
different  circumstances  and  perhaps  they  would 

feel  differently.  Don't  you  suppose  G.  L , 

the  man  that  was  recently  killed  in  the  midst  of 
his  gambling,  would  have  repented  if  he  had 
been  taken  up,  removed  from  his  associations 
here,  and  placed  under  entirely  different  influ- 
ences ?  " 

Mother. — "  O,  yes,  it  seems  likely  ;  but  then  I 
somehow  had  made  it  up  in  my  mind  that  folks 
might  go  so  far  in  sin  that  they  couldn't  repent 
and  God  couldn't  save  them.  Well,  what  do  you 
do  with  that  place  in  the  Bible  where  God  says,  '  I 
will  delude  you  that  ye  may  be  damned  ? ' " 

Dr. — "  I  don't  think  that  there  is  any  such 
passage." 

Mother. — "  Yes,  there  is  ;  or  else  some  one  of 

you  has  read  it  wrong  to  me.  G you  read 

it  that  way  to  me." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  129 

G. — "  No,  ma,  you're  mistaken." 

Then  was  read,  from  2  Thessalonians,  "  God 
shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should 
believe  a  lie." 

Mother. — "  That's  something  like  it." 

December  13. — It  is  discouraging  to  see  how 
little  the  years  of  thy  discipline  have  achieved 
toward  perfecting  the  good  in  me  and  straight- 
ening the  crooked.  One  thing  I  believe  thou 
hast  accomplished.  I  am  not  so  double-minded 
as  once  I  was ;  but  I  may  delude  myself  even  in 
this  thought.  Nothing  is  so  treacherous  as  my 
heart.  I  thank  thee,  O  Lord,  that  thou  hast  given 
us  some  souls  of  our  neighbors.  They  have  come 
into  the  fold — some  of  the  more  hopeful  kind. 
This  seems  to  be  the  seal  of  thine  approbation 
upon  the  work  of  our  pastor,  and  an  answer  to 
our  prayers.  O  my  God,  multiply  the  number  of 
thy  slain.  Confound  the  wicked  and  uphold  the 
righteous.  Has  thy  world  always  been  so  wick- 
ed ?  Have  we  always  been  such  haters  of  each 
other?  Have  men  always  been  such  plotters  of 
evil?  Have  they  always  thus  conspired  against 
each  other,  apparently  from  the  pure  love  of  the 
evil  ?  Canst  thou  make  any  good  thing  of  us  ? 

6* 


130  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Ah,  how  long!  Eternity  is  thine;  immortality 
is  ours.  Maybe  thou  canst  change  us  for  the 
better.  Wilt  thou  try  us  again  after  we  die  ? 
Shall  some  of  us  have  another  chance  beyond 
this  perilous  shore  ? 

December  17. — After   Sunday  school  a  sermon 

by  G.  W ,  on  Gal.  vi,  14,  "  God  forbid  that   I 

should  glory,"  etc.     He  (G )  has  fought  much 

against  his  convictions  of  the  duty  of  preaching. 
He  announced  at  the  close  of  his  discourse,  with 
tears,  that  the  wisest,  nay,  the  only  course  for  a 
Christian  is  to  lay  down  his  opposition  to  God's 
will,  and  if  Christ  says,  "  Go  preach,"  to  do  it  at 
any  cost,  and  in  it  find  the  crown.  The  people 
were  touched.  As  soon  as  he  sat  down  a  sister 
began  singing  "  Nearer,  my  God,  to  thee."  Then 

the  pastor,   Rev.  E.  L ,  opened  the  doors  of 

the  church,  with  some  impressive  remarks  on  the 
swift  passage  of  life,  and  the  importance  of  de- 
ciding our  allegiance  to  God  before  we  die.  Then 
was  sung  "  Almost  persuaded,"  and  amid  the  sing- 
ing, Mr.  -  — ,  an  old  and  faithful  servant  of  Satan, 
a  very  smart,  capable  man,  and  a  well-to-do  man, 
considering  the  antecedents  of  slavery,  came  for- 
ward, with  tears  and  evident  struggling  of  soul, 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  131 

and  threw  himself  on  his  knees  in  the  presence 
of  the  congregation.  All  were  profoundly  moved. 
There  were  several  prayers.  Then  came  hand- 
shaking and  rejoicing ;  then  some  notices. 

At  this  moment  there  came  toward  the  pulpit, 
from  the  door,  a  poor  man,  roughly  clad,  toil-worn, 
sad-looking,  sober,  and  apparently  honest.  He  had 
something  to  say,  and  was  requested  to  make  his 
wishes  known.  He  said,  "  I's  a  stranger,  and  a 
poor  man.  I's  in  a  tight  place,  now."  Turning 
toward  the  minister,  he  said,  "  My  mother-in-law 
is  a  Methodist  ;  I  am  not,  but  I  want  you  to  bury 
my  child  that  is  dead."  "  I  will  do  it,"  said  the 
minister,  "  and  I  hope  this  will  show  you  that  it  is 
the  Lord's  will  that  you  yourself 'should  prepare 
to  die,  for  your  turn  to  die  may  come  within 
twenty-four  hours.  Where  do  you  wish  your 
child  to  be  buried,  sir?"  "In  your  burying- 
ground."  "  Very  well,  I  will  attend  to  it." 

This  in  the  presence  of  the  listening  congrega- 
tion. Thus  do  all  throbs  of  the  human  heart 
come  into  God's  house. 

December  20. — Went  to  New  Orleans  to  meet 
my  family.  Conversed  with  L.  P.  C ;  he 


132  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

spoke  of  a  Conference  in  Tennessee,  no  member 
of  which  uses  tobacco.  I  inquired  whether  it 
was  a  white  Conference.  "  Colored,  of  course," 
he  replied.  I  requested  him  to  publish  the  fact, 
with  the  "of  course  "  emphasized.  He  repeated 

an    incident    related    by    Bishop    W .       The 

bishop  slept  in  a  house  in  Tennessee  where  the 
bedroom  door  had  no  fastening,  and  was  kept  in 
place  by  a  stone  placed  against  it  on  the  outside, 
so  that  the  occupant  of  the  room  had  to  push 
away  the  stone  when  he  emerged  in  the  morning. 
The  people  of  that  region  did  not  seem  to  know 
how  to  whittle  out  a  wooden  latch.  "  Were  they 
colored  ?  "  I  asked.  "  White  folks,  of  course,"  he 
responded. 


REV.  J.  W.  E.  BOWEN. 

REV.  J.  W.  E.  BOWEN,  A.M.,  S.T.B.,  Ph.D.,  was 
born  in  New  Orleans,  December  3,  1855.  Began 
attending  the  New  Orleans  University  (known 
at  that  time  as  the  Union  Normal  School  and 
Thomson  Biblical  Institute)  in  1870;  was  gradu- 
ated A.B.  in  1878;  was  professor,  first  of  mathe- 
matics, then  of  history  and  languages,  in  the 
Central  Tennessee  College,  Nashville,  Tenn., 


REV.  J.  W.  E.  BOWEN,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  133 

1878-1882  ;  was  converted  in  the  midst  of  a  revival 
in  New  Orleans,  in  1873,  and  united  with  the 
Mount  Zion  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  Jack- 
son Street,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  James  Hay- 
ward.  Received  license  to  exhort,  1874  ;  licensed 
to  preach,  1879;  ordained  deacon,  November  20, 
1 88 1,  at  Franklin,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop  Wiley;  had 
been  a  member  of  Ames  Chapel  Sunday  school 
in  early  boyhood. 

Leaving  Nashville,  eager  for  higher  education, 
he  went  to  Boston  and  entered  the  Boston  Uni- 
versity, taking  courses  in  the  School  of  Theology 
and  in  the  School  of  All  Sciences.  In  so  doing 
he  was  transferred  from  the  Tennessee  Confer- 
ence and  became  a  member  of  the  New  England 
Conference.  He  received  appointment  as  pastor 
of  the  Revere  Street  Church,  and  was  continued 
therein  for  three  years.  His  summer  vacations 
were  spent  in  labors  among  the  churches,  white 
as  well  as  colored.  He  served  one  white  church 
in  Massachusetts  an  entire  month. 

During  these  years  he  was  invited,  in  view  of 
his  scholarly  attainments,  to  prepare,  in  Hebrew, 
a  young  man  who  belonged  to  the  Park  Street 
Congregational  Church  (Dr.  Withrow  pastor),  for 
the  theological  seminary  of  Princeton  University. 


134  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

This  duty  he  discharged  with  great  accepta- 
bility. 

He  was  graduated  from  the  School  of  Theol- 
ogy June  3,  1885,  with  the  degree  of  S.T.B.,  receiv- 
ing first  honor  at  the  commencement.  He  was 
the  first  colored  man  ever  chosen  by  the  faculty 
for  orator  on  commencement  day. 

He  was  graduated  from  the  School  of  All  Sci- 
ences, June  1,1887,  with  the  degree  of  Ph.D.,  being 
the  first  colored  man  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  the  second  in  America,  to  receive 
that  degree  pro  merito. 

He  was  now  transferred  to  the  Newark  Con- 
ference, and  appointed  to  the  St.  John's  Church, 
Newark,  where  he  remained  the  successful  and 
distinguished  pastor  for  three  years.  One  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  persons  were  converted  to 
Christ  and  united  with  the  church  during  this 
pastorate. 

March  13,  1888,  he  was  sent  to  the  Centennial 
Church,  Baltimore.  His  labors  here  were  sig- 
nally owned  of  God  and  blessed.  A  revival  of 
spiritual  life  in  the  church  was  accompanied  by 
a  great  awakening  among  sinners,  and,  as  the 
outcome  of  labors  protracted  through  twenty- 
three  weeks,  seven  hundred  and  thirty-five  per- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  135 

sons  received  the  grace  of  salvation  and  were 
added  to  the  company  of  believers.  It  seemed 
like  a  return  of  Pentecost,  so  manifest  was  the 
divine  presence,  and  so  quick  and  thorough  was 
the  work  of  faith.  During  this  long-continued 
reformation  the  pastor  preached  twice  daily  and 
three  times  on  Sunday  without  failure  or  inter- 
ruption by  sickness.  The  grace  of  God  abounded. 

After  two  years  of  splendid  service  here  it  was 
held  by  the  "  powers  that  be "  that  Dr.  Bowen 
was  more  needed  in  another  place,  where  the 
Church  was  less  able  to  run  itself  than  here  in 
Baltimore.  He  was  accordingly  sent  to  Asbury 
Church,  Washington,  D.  C.,  March  17,  1890. 

Here  Dr.  Bowen  remains  pastor  at  the  date  of 
this  writing,  September,  1892,  having  succeeded 
in  bringing  peace  out  of  discord  among  his  peo- 
ple, and  having  bought  and  nearly  paid  for  a  su- 
perior minister's  home,  or  parsonage. 

He  was  chosen  Professor  of  Systematic  The- 
ology in  Morgan  Institute,  Baltimore,  during  his 
charge  of  the  Centennial  Church,  and  still  retains 
that  position.  The  class  in  church  history  has 
also  been  committed  to  him.  In  thje  year  1891  he 
was,  during  four  months,  the  Professor  of  Hebrew 
in  Howard  University,  resigning  at  the  end  of  that 


136  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

time  because  of  the  multiplicity  of  engage- 
ments. 

Dr.  Bowen  is  also  a  member  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Sacred  Literature,  and  is  a  devoted 
student  of  the  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  and  Arabic  lan- 
guages. Mrs.  Bowen,  a  cultured  lady,  is  the  in- 
spiration of  her  husband,  a  true  helpmeet,  and 
thoroughly  efficient  in  church  work. 

In  the  year  1882  Dr.  Bowen  revisited  his 
native  city,  New  Orleans,  and  while  there,  by 
request,  addressed  the  alumni  association  of  the 
university  in  commencement  week.  His  philoso- 
phy of  life  is  impressively  stated  in  the  following 
extract  from  that  address  : 

"  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  true  manhood  is  a 
natural  sequence  of  persistent  effort;  it  is  made, 
and  does  not  grow  of  itself.  It  is  made  in  the 
workshop,  on  the  farm,  in  the  schoolroom,  in  the 
pulpit,  in  the  '  bivouac  of  life,'  as  natural  a  result 
as  the  physical.  Animals  become  perfect  by  the 
gradual  upholding  of  the  divine  law  inherent  in 
them ;  but  manhood  is  a  product.  And  it  is 
only  to  real  manhood  that  men  commit  grave 
interests.  Men  try  their  fortunes  on  the  deep  in 
vessels  tried  and  true,  that  have  plowed  with 
steady  momentum  the  ocean  waves,  and  not  in 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  137 

the  light  and  beautiful  yachts  of  the  harbor,  that 
ply  only  about  the  port  in  the  clear  sunlight  days 
and  silvery  nights  on  the  placid  lake,  when  the 
moon  is  shining  amid  the  twinkling  stars  that  add 
•luster  to  the  firmament.  Beauty  for  ornament 
and  pleasure,  but  utility  for  real  worth. 

"  Observe  the  horizon  of  the  heavens  in  the  twi- 
light, when  the  sun  is  sinking  beneath  the  hills 
and  occasionally  showing  his  golden  face,  shoot- 
ing his  golden  pencils  of  light  into  broad  immen- 
sity, tinging  the  clouds  and  heavens  with  his  livid 
light,  and  the  whole  firmament  is  aglow  with 
beauty ;  how  our  hearts  are  enwrapped  and  our 
imagination  quickened  and  elevated  as  we  con- 
template the  sublime  beauty  of  twilight ;  or  when 
the  king  of  day  comes  peeping  over  the  hills, 
glorying  in  his  might  and  rejoicing  in  his  course 
to  run!  This  is  indeed  a  pleasing  picture  of  the 
heavens,  but  what  is  all  this  worth  in  the  conflict  of 
life  ?  Man  was  made  for  something  nobler  than  to 
enjoy  the  beauties  in  nature.  This  is  incidental, 

"  '  Not  enjoyment  and  not  sorrow 

Is  our  destined  end  and  way, 
But  to  act  that  each  to-morrow 

Finds  us  further  than  to-day.' 

"The  difficulties  and  solid  problems  of  life  are  to 
be  solved,  and  every  man  more  or  less  finds  him- 


138  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

self  struggling  with  its  untried  realities.  In  him  is 
a  consciousness  of  strength  which,  under  proper 
discipline,  will,  if  turned  in  the  right  channel, 
bless  the  world.  While  it  may  be  said  with 
force  that  genius  is  not  acquired,  but  is  to  some 
degree  innate,  yet  were  it  not  for  a  rigid  ob- 
servance of  the  laws  that  pertain  to  human  de- 
velopment, and  by  constant  discipline  that  the 
hidden  powers  might  be  drawn  out  in  its  exercise, 
the  most  lofty  genius  would  lie  secret  and  un- 
thought  of. 

"How  wisely  Providence  has  arranged  the  time 
and  scheme  of  development  is  to  be  discovered  in 
the  order  of  life — that  in  the  springtime  of  life, 
while  the  body  is  undergoing  its  incomprehensible 
and  intricate  growth  from  youth  to  maturity,  the 
mind  likewise  passes  through  its  disciplinary 
stages  of  gradual  development  from  fickleness  to 
firmness  and  stability.  Gradually  unbudding 
into  beauty  and  symmetry,  fortifying  itself  by  all 
the  resources  within  its  reach,  appropriating  to 
itself  every  thought  and  idea,  and,  so  to  speak, 
mounting  by  its  own  exertions  upon  the  ruins,  it 
brightens  up  to  the  philosopher  one  of  the  grand- 
est truths  in  human  economy,  namely,  that  mind 
is  of  God  and  necessarily  self-acting." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  139 

He  further  proceeds  to  commemorate  the 
teachers  and  guides  of  his  collegiate  years : 

"  It  is  now  my  purpose  to  give  you  a  sketch  of 
our  Alma  Mater — the  New  Orleans  University. 
Situated  on  the  corner  of  Camp  and  Race  Streets, 
pleasantly  located  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  on  the 
beautiful  Coliseum  Park,  it  commands  the  notice 
of  friends  and  foes.  Its  first  and  familiar  name, 
and  which  clung  to  it  tenaciously  after  its  incor- 
poration as  a  university,  was  the  Union  Normal 
School.  This  school  was  organized  in  the  year 
1870,  under  the  principalship  of  Miss  Coit,  a  truly 
blessed  woman.  Its  fame  rapidly  spread  over  the 
city,  and  students  from  the  public  schools  filled  its 
halls.  Under  the  care  and  direction  of  Miss  Coit 
and  her  assistants  the  school  began  its  history, 
which,  I  trust,  will  be  a  proud  one.  In  the  next 
year  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  under  the  wise 
management  of  that  sage,  Rev.  R.  S.  Rust,  called 
to  the  head  of  the  school  Rev.  I.  S.  Leavitt. 
President  Leavitt,  coming  from  the  great  State  of 
Wisconsin,  brought  with  him  benedictions  for  this 
people;  his  three  years'  administration  was  fruitful 
in  the  fullest  sense.  By  his  faithful  discharge  of 
duty  and  conscientiousness  in  minute  obligations 
and  rare  ability  he  won  the  esteem  of  student  and 


I4O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

parent.  To  his  skill,  fruitful  brain,  and  broad 
spirit  we  are  largely  indebted  for  the  name  New 
Orleans  University,  and  the  side  building.  Aided 
by  an  earnest  and  vigorous  corps  of  professors 
and  teachers  he  marked  out  the  courses  of  the 
university,  established  its  departments,  and,  so  to 
speak,  cleared  away  the  rubbish  and  debris,  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  future  greatness.  We  are 
safe  in  saying  as  long  as  the  New  Orleans 
University  shall  live,  aye,  longer,  and  a  love  for 
education  be  cherished  by  our  people,  Rev.  I.  S. 
Leavitt's  name  will  be  held  in  veneration.  In 
the  year  1875  the  university  finds  itself  under 
the  presidency  of  Rev.  W.  D.  Godman,  a  man  of 
known  and  honored  standing  to-day,  not  only  in 
our  midst,  but  throughout  the  Church  ;  a  man 
compounded  of  gentleness,  firmness,  and  possess- 
ing great  wisdom.  His  special  calling  seems  to 
have  been  to  the  training  of  youth,  and  his 
intrinsic  value  and  adaptability  shine  out  in  the 
schoolroom  with  a  brilliancy  second  to  no  educa- 
tor in  the  land.  Under  the  wise  guidance  of  this 
master  educator  the  university  acquired  an  envi- 
able reputation  for  thoroughness,  and  the  students 
vied  with  each  other  in  literary  progress ;  and  the 
inspiration  given  by  the  burning  words  of  the 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  141 

president  was  a  mighty  impetus  to  wade  deep  in 
the  languages,  mathematics,  and  the  sciences.  It 
has  been  said  that  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  mathe- 
matics recited  under  President  Godman  equaled 
any  good  recitation  in  like  branches  in  any 
Northern  university.  Time  will  give  to  this  ven- 
erable man  his  place  among  the  benefactors  of 
our  race." 


LA    TECHE   TRACT,  NO.    i. 

Opening  of  New  Hall  for  the  La   Teche  Seminary,    W.  D. 
God/nan,  D.D.,  President. 

ON  Monday,  March  12,  1883,  about  two  hun- 
dred persons,  including  teachers,  scholars,  and 
citizens,  assembled  for  the  opening  exercises  of 
La  Teche  Seminary,  La  Teche,  La.,  in  the  new 
hall,  which  is  a  part  of  the  reconstructed  Orphans' 
Home. 

After  reading  a  portion  of  the  Holy  Scripture 
prayer  was  offered  by  John  F.  Patty,  Esq.,  of  New 
Orleans.  After  a  song,  Mr.  Patty  addressed  the 
audience  as  follows  : 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  be  here  this  morning,  to  see 
so  many  persons  here,  and  to  recall  the  time  when 
I  myself,  then  a  young  lad,  was  a  member  of  this 


142  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

school.  There  are  enemies  to  this  school,  as 
there  are  to  everything  that  is  good  ;  but  they  will 
not  prevail,  and  I  look  to  a  glorious  future.  Let 
me  tell  you,  you  are  greatly  favored.  You  have 
a  faculty  that  is  second  to  none  in  the  State,  and 
there  is  no  educational  hall  in  the  State  equal  to 
this  in  which  you  meet  this  morning.  This  school 
has  done  more  for  the  education  of  the  Negro  race 
than  any  other  in  the  parish,  and  as  much  as  any 
in  the  State.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  the 
political  convention  held  in  Donaldsonville  last 
year.  It  was  there  remarked  that  in  Louisiana  a 
greater  number  of  representative  men  came  from 
St.  Mary  than  from  any  other  parish.  Now,  this 
is  true.  It  is  also  true  that  the  greater  part  of 
those  representative  men  received  their  education 
at  this  seminary.  To  be  useful  to  your  race  you 
must  be  educated.  Be  true,  then,  to  yourselves  in 
using  faithfully  your  great  advantages." 

Rev.  Ernest  Lyon,  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  La  Teche,  was  then  intro- 
duced, and  said  :  "  You  are  accustomed  to  hearing 
me,  and  you  already  know  my  views  of  the  excel- 
lence of  this  school  and  our  duty  toward  it.  You 
yourselves,  students,  know  that  to  be  men  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  143 

women  you  must  be  educated  ;  that  your  improve- 
ment and  success  in  life  depend  on  yourselves ; 
on  the  good  use  you  make  of  present  privileges. 
I  know  that,  in  my  own  case,  no  power  so  molded 
my  mind  and  character  as  my  teacher.  You  are 
favored  as  few  are.  I  am  happy  to  be  myself  a 
student  here,  reciting  daily,  and  perhaps  no  man 
in  the  parish  studies  more  than  I  do.  Use  your 
privileges.  Why,  there  is  no  school  like  this  any- 
where, so  far  as  I  know,  where  you  can  enjoy  such 
advantages  without  a  dollar's  cost.  You  cannot 
find  another  such  hall  as  this  where  you  will 
daily  meet.  Stand  by  your  school  and  by  your 
teachers." 

Professor  George  W.  Wells  having  been  called 
out,  said  :  "  I  cannot  express  my  happiness  to-day 
in  seeing  the  evidences  of  the  prosperity  of  our 
beloved  school.  For  two  years  I  have  toiled  here 
because  I  love  the  work.  You  know,  scholars, 
that  I  seek  your  best  interests.  I  require  you  to 
keep  the  rules  of  the  school ;  this  you  must  always 
do.  I  am  sure  you  aim  to  do  it.  Brother  Lyon 
speaks  of  his  studying.  I  think  I  am  not  far 
behind  him,  as  my  studies  late  at  night  and  early 
in  the  morning  bear  witness.  I  assure  you  I  know 


144  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

what  an  opportunity  I  have,  and  I  intend  to  im- 
prove it.  Let  us  press  forward  to  the  glorious 
future." 

Dr.  Godman,  the  president,  then  read  a  finan- 
cial statement,  as  follows  :  "  When  we  came  South, 
in  1875,  we  were  under  appointment  by  the 
Freedmen's  Aid  Society  to  preside  over  the  New 
Orleans  University.  We  were  requested  to  spend 
the  spring  and  summer  of  that  year  at  the  Orphans' 
Home,  going  to  New  Orleans  in  the  fall.  We 
were  under  instruction  to  organize  a  school  pre- 
paratory to  the  New  Orleans  University,  which 
we  did,  naming  the  school  the  La  Teche  Semi- 
nary, after  the  name  of  our  village.  This  school 
was  from  the  first  patronized  by  the  Freedmen's 
Aid  Society,  and  has  always  had  a  place  in  its  list 
of  institutions,  as  published  in  the  Annual  Report." 

The  number  of  scholars  in  1875  was  138,  of 
whom  32  were  of  academic  grade.  In  1876  this 
school  was  in  charge  of  Mr.  R.  L.  Thompson.  In 
1877-78  it  was  taught  by  Miss  Mahaffy.  In 
1878—80  it  was  suspended — that  is,  during  our 
absence  in  the  North.  In  1881  it  was  reorgan- 
ized, and  the  number  of  scholars  was  2 1 5 — the  list 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  145 

being  published  in  the  catalogue  of  the  New  Or- 
leans University.  In  1882  the  number  of  students 
became  255.  The  neat  little  church  in  which  our 
people  worship — largely  the  gift  of  the  Church 
Extension  Society — has  been  occupied  by  the 
seminary  until  now.  Thank  God !  We  can  say 
now  that  we  are  in  our  home,  the  new  room 
prepared  for  us — a  part  of  the  reconstructed 
Orphans'  Home — a  commodious  and  beautiful 
room,  60  feet  by  24  feet,  with  outlook  directly  over 
the  Bayou  Teche.  The  La  Teche  Seminary  has 
furnished  the  New  Orleans  University  with  ex- 
cellent recruits  every  year,  and  some -of  our  youth 
have  been  among  her  best  students.  In  1876  we 
acted  for  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  taking  its 
collections  within  the  limits  of  the  Philadelphia 
Annual  Conference.  We  were  instructed  to  de- 
vote the  collections  to  the  New  Orleans  Uni- 
versity and  the  Orphans'  Home — one  half  to  each. 


Collections  of  that  Conference  in  1876-77 $3,968  oo 

Collections  for  the  previous  year 2,650  oo 

An  increase  of 1,318  oo 

Paid  to  the  New  Orleans  University 2,136  oo 

Paid  to  the  New  Orleans  Orphans'  Home 1,832  oo 

83-968  oo 


146  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

A  report  of  this  year's  work  was  presented  to 
the  Orphans'  Home  Board  in  the  spring  of  1877, 
and  was  by  them  accepted  and  filed.  We  were 
thus  able  to  meet  all  the  current  expenses  of  the 
New  Orleans  University  that  year,  excepting 
six  hundred  dollars  paid  to  one  of  the  teachers 
by  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  besides  afford- 
ing so  much  relief  to  the  Orphans'  Home.  In 
the  years  1877-80,  we  were  traveling  in  the 
Northern  States  with  a  company  of  singers  in 
order  to  raise  money  for  the  Orphans'  Home,  its 
further  existence  being  threatened  by  debts. 

Forwarded  on  debts,  December  31,  1880 $4,i°4  oo 

Paid  for  school  requisites  and  seminary  library. .  102  86 

For  Mason  &  Hamlin  organ 50  oo 

For  hardware  for  Home  building 19  16 

For  moving  expenses,  insurance,  etc 248  07 

Cash  in  hand 676  oo 


$5,200  09 
Adding  the  amount  for  1876 1,832  oo 


$7,032  09 

We  thus  show  record  of  moneys  raised  and 
paid  at  the  beginning  of  1881  of  more  than  seven 
thousand  dollars.  The  figures  rather  understate 
the  actual  result.  Besides  the  above,  myself  and 
Mrs.  Godman,  during  1875-76,  gave  the  Home, 
in  payment  of  some  of  its  debts,  five  hundred  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  147 

thirty-four  dollars,  of  which  we  made  no  formal 
report.  We  have  also  in  hand  the  gifts  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Tract  Society,  Harper 
Brothers,  New  York,  of  Richard  Worthington, 
Esq.,  New  York,  and  of  H.  M.  Ingham,  Esq.,  of 
Cleveland,  O.,  about  five  hundred  excellent  books 
for  the  seminary  library,  the  value  of  which  can- 
not be  less  than  five  hundred  dollars. 


Donation $534  oo 

Books 500  oo 

$1,034  oo 

Professor  W.  G.  Fischer,  of  Philadel- 
phia, contributed  to  the  organ 25  oo 

Messrs.  Mason  &  Hamlin 100  oo 

125  oo 

$1,159  co 
Add  for  beginning  of  1881 7,032  09 


Total  for  beginning  of  1881 $8,191  09 

In  1 88 1 — i.  General  Account. 

Cash  in  hand  from  various  sources $900  2 1 

Expended 940  16 


Excess  paid  from  our  own  means 39  95 

2.  Building  Account. 

Bricks  and  lumber  sold 380  ^o 

Expended  on  building $1,038  09 

Excess  paid  from  our  own  means 657  39 


Amount  carried  forward 697  84 


148  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Amount  brought  forward $697  34 

3.  Plantation  Account. 

Expended  wholly  from  our  own  means 2,207  69 

4.  Seminary  Account. 

Received  from  Freedmen's  Aid   So- 
ciety        $159  oo 

Paid  to  teachers,  and  incidentals 240  oo 


Excess  paid  from  our  own  means 81  oo 

Total  from  our  own  means  in  1881 $2,986  03 

Deducting  the  amount  expended  on 
the  plantation  as  an  investment, 
the  income  of  which,  subject  to  con- 
dition of  the  lease,  is  for  the  support 
of  the  orphans 2,207  69 

Balance  given  the  Home  by  us,  1881 778  34 

Add  amount  at  the  beginning  of  year 8,191  09 

Total  contribution,  Dec.  31,  1881 $8,969  43 

These  figures  show  the  standing  of  our  work 
financially  at  the  date  of  December  31,  1881. 
The  reports  for  1882  are  not  quite  ready,  but  will 
soon  be  presented  to  the  Orphans'  Home  Board. 
They  will  show  a  considerable  increase  of  the  con- 
tribution. It  may  be  observed  we  have  served 
without  salary  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1876, 
when  we  had  to  preside  in  New  Orleans  and  take 
collections  in  Philadelphia,  we  had  a  salary  of 
twelve  hundred  dollars.  Since  then  we  have  paid 
our  own  way  by  the  hardest  kind  of  work.  If  we 


REV.  E.   LYON,   A.M. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  149 

had  received  twelve  hundred  dollars  per  annum 
for  the  last  six  years  we  might  have  achieved  much 
more  for  the  Home.  As  it  now  stands  we  are  in 
great  need  of  help. 

Not  only  have  we  given  our  time,  but  wife  and 
daughter  have  done  the  same.  In  1881  they 
taught  diligently  in  the  seminary  for  four  months 
in  addition  to  the  toil  and  travel  of  other  years. 
The  showing  above  of  the  expenses  of  the  semi- 
nary in  1 88 1  does  not  include  the  aid  received  from 
the  Parish  Board  of  Education,  which  aid  was 
very  helpful  and  very  gratefully  received.  It 
amounted  to  two  hundred  and  forty  dollars,  but 
was  paid  directly  to  the  teachers,  and  was  not 
handled  by  us.  We  are  thankful  for  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  gentlemen  of  the  school  board,  who  are 
among  the  best  friends  of  the  education  of  the 
colored  race.  W.  D.  GODMAN. 

La  Tcc/te,  La. 


REV.  ERNEST  LYOX,  A.M. 

Now  Pastor  of  Sf.  Mark's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  New 
York. 

THE  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Belize, 
British  Honduras,  on  the  coast  of  Central  Amer- 
ica, September  22,  1860.  His  early  education 


I5O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

was  obtained  at  the  English  school  in  that  place, 
through  the  provident  care  of  his  mother.  His 
father  died  while  Ernest  was  but  a  child.  He 
became  a  Christian  by  experience  October  24, 
1875  ;  came  to  the  United  States  to  find  a 
fitting  sphere  of  action  and  to  advance  his  edu- 
cation. In  1880  he  attended  Straight  Univer- 
sity, New  Orleans;  1881-1883,  inclusive,  Gilbert 
Seminary,  being  at  the  same  time  pastor  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Baldwin,  as  it  was 
then  called,  but  now  Winsted.  Here  he  first  met 
Miss  Abbie  J.  Wright,  who  at  length  became  his 
wife.  They  were  married  by  Rev.  W.  D.  Godman, 
the  president  of  Gilbert  Seminary. 

Going  thence  for  residence  and  labor  to  New 
Orleans  he  entered,  and  was  finally  graduated 
from,  the  New  Orleans  University  as  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  and  has  since  become,  in  cursu,  Master  of 
Arts.  He  was  pastor  in  New  Orleans,  succes- 
sively, of  Mallalieu  Chapel,  Thomson  Chapel,  and 
Simpson  Chapel.  In  every  case  they  grew  under 
his  administration  and  the  efficient  cooperation 
of  his  wife.  The  church  property,  too,  underwent 
enlargement  and  improvement.  He  left  a  shining 
mark  in  every  field  of  his  labors. 

In    1891   he  was,  by  appointment  made  in   an- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  15! 

swer  to  the  urgent  request  of  the  Conference,  the 
General  Sunday  school  Agent  for  the  State  of 
Louisiana.  He  was  reappointed  for  1892.  In 
discharge  of  the  duties  of  this  office  he  traveled 
through  the  State,  preaching,  lecturing,  organiz- 
ing new  schools,  holding  Sunday  school  institutes, 
etc.  His  labors  were  very  fruitful,  and  attracted 
attention  far  and  near.  But  in  the  spring  of  1892 
it  became  evident  that  there  was  a  demand  for 
his  valuable  services  among  the  people  of  his 
race  in  the  Northern  States.  He  was  transferred, 
and  appointed  to  St.  Mark's,  New  York,  where  he 
now  labors  so  efficiently.  He,  by  request,  made  a 
tour  in  some  of  the  Northwestern  States,  laboring 
for  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society.  He  has  been 
twice  chosen  by  his  Conference  for  reserve  dele- 
gate to  the  General  Conference ;  was  for  years 
the  Conference  statistical  secretary,  and  for  years 
also  edited  the  Sunday  school  column  in  the 
Southwestern  Christian  Advocate. 


FRESH  BENEFACTIONS. 


1885.— The  Hon.  W.  L.  Gilbert,  of  West  Win- 
sted,  Conn.,  gave  five  thousand  dollars  in  1884; 
the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society  gave  five  thousand 


152  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

dollars  (binding  themselves  to  perpetual  main- 
tenance) ;  and  this  cooperation  resulted  in  two 
large  and  very  commodious  buildings  —  one 
for  school  work  and  one  for  boarding.  The 
number  of  scholars  the  last  term  was  two  hun- 
dred and  ten.  The  progress  of  the  pupils  was 
most  encouraging.  A  large  committee  of  minis- 
ters and  laymen  pronounced  their  approval  of 
the  work  done.  The  two  representatives  of  the 
parish  in  the  State  Legislature,  both  of  them  for- 
mer pupils  in  the  seminary,  were  present  at  the 
closing  exhibition,  and  one  of  them  distributed  the 
prizes.  They  expressed  unqualified  satisfaction. 

One  of  these  representatives  said :  "  This 
school  has  done  more  for  the  education  of  the 
Negro  race  than  any  other  in  the  parish,  and  as 
much  as  any  in  the  State."  It  is  the  purpose  of 
the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society  to  establish  indus- 
trial departments  and  a  normal  department  as 
rapidly  as  a  generous  Christian  public  shall  enable 
them  to  do  so.  There  are  about  one  thousand 
two  hundred  acres  of  land,  the  income  of  which 
is  pledged  to  the  support  of  the  seminary.  In  the 
present  depressed  condition  of  agriculture  the  land 
yields  about  one  thousand  dollars.  With  returning 
general  prosperity  it  will  be  made  to  yield  more. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  153 

WEST  WINSTED,  CONN.,  August  i,  1886. 
This  is  to  certify  that  nearly  two  years  ago  I 
gave  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  to  aid  in 
the  erection  of  school  buildings  at  La  Teche,  La., 
for  the  education  of  colored  children,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  Godman,  and  under  the  control 
of  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society.  In  the  spring  of 
1885  I  made  a  personal  examination  of  the  insti- 
tution, and  became  satisfied  that  the  work  is  a 
good  one,  and  is  worthy  of  the  help  and  support 
of  those  who  desire  to  benefit  and  uplift  the  col- 
ored race.  And  I  am  also  pleased  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  earnest,  careful,  and  judicious  efforts 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Godman  and  his  wife  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  seminary,  and  that  the  aid  which 
may  be  rendered  will  be  faithfully  applied,  giving 
results  which  will  be  both  satisfactory  to  those 
who  give  and  to  those  who  are  under  their  charge. 
WILLIAM  L.  GILBERT. 

FINANCIAL   HISTORY,  1875-1892. 

W.  D.  Godman,  by  balance  Dec.  31,  1875 $287  99 

1881 8,978  43 

Account  for  1882. 

Expenditure  on  building $704  1 1 

Contra 442  oo 

Balance  to  credit  on  building 262  1 1 

7* 


154  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Brought  forward $9,528  53 

Expenditure  for  crops $3,447  60 

Contra  18  50 

Balance  to  credit  on  plantation 3,429  10 

Paid  on  general  account  for  orphans,  etc 190  93 

Expenditures  for  seminary 676  13 

Contra :    From    Freedmen's 

Aid  Society $i  50  oo 

Parish  Board 275  oo —      425  oo 

Balance  to  credit  on  seminary 251    13 

Total  of  credits  [net]  to  Dec.  31,  1882 $13-399  69 

Accotmt  of  1883. 
Expenditures  on  building $267  55 

Contra:  By  Cash  donated 267  55 

Expenditures  on  plantation 3,028  48 

Contra:  By  crop  of  1882. .  .$2,184  92 

By  crop  of  1883 673  07—  2,857  99 

Balance  to  credit  on  plantation 170  49 

Expenditure,  seminary 562  80 

Contra 562  80 


Expenditure,  general  account 806  82 

Contra  :  By  donations 161  oo 


Balance  to  credit  on  general  account .  645  82 

Total  of  credit  to  Dec.  31,  1883 $14,216  oo 

Account  of  1884. 

Receipts :  Corn,  375  bbls $281   25 

Potatoes,  70  bbls 70  oo 

Wood,  56  c 70  oo 

Cane,  98  t 236  62 

657  87 
Expenditures — cash 2, 100  oo 

,  Balance  to  credit i  ,442     1 3 

Total  of  credit,  Dec.  31,  1884 $15,658  13 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  155 

To  this  date,  with  the  exception  indicated 
above,  all  moneys  used  were  from  the  private 
means  of  the  president.  In  the  figures  following 
the  excess  of  expenditures  over  receipts  has  been 
provided  for  from  the  following  sources,  namely  : 
Public  School  Fund,  income  of  the  boarding  hall, 
incidental  fees,  income  of  the  farm,  personal  con- 
tribution of  the  president. 

Received  for  and  paid  to  teachers : 

1884-5. — Paid  to  teachers $400  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society. ..    $150  oo 

From  the  president 250  oo 

400  oo 

1885-6. — Paid 1,200  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society.. . .    1,200  oo 

1886-7. — Paid 2,030  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society. . .    1,000  oo 

Slater  Fund 500  oo 

School  Fund 270  oo 

Private  means 260  oo 

2,030  oo 

1887-8. — Paid 2,370  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society. . .    1,380  oo 

Public  school 190  oo 

Slater  Fund 500  oo 

Other  sources 300  oo 

2,370  oo 

1888-9.— Paid 2,807  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society. . .    1,500  oo 

Slater  Fund 800  oo 

Public  school 210  oo 

Other  sources 297  oo 

• 2,807  °° 


156  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

1889-90. — Paid $3,643  50 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society ..$ i ,600  oo 

Slater  Fund 1,000  oo 

Public  school 257  50 

Other  sources 786  oo 

3.643  So 

1890-91. — Paid 3,660  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society.  .    1,600  oo 

Slater  Fund ...    i  ,000  oo 

Public  school 250  oo 

Other  sources 81000 

3,660  oo 

1891-92.— Paid 3,455  oo 

Received  from  F.  A.  Society..   2,540  oo 

Slater  Fund 800  oo 

Other  sources 1 1 5  oo 

Public  school 

3-455  oo 


PROPERTY. 

THERE  were  originally  in  the  plantation  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land. 
After  seven  thousand  and  thirty-two  dollars  were 
paid  by  the  president  and  his  colaborers  toward 
the  extinction  of  debts  accumulated  by  his  pre- 
decessors, the  remainder  of  the  debts  were  settled 
by  conveying  to  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  in 
return  for  borrowed  money,  five  hundred  acres 
of  land,  valued  at  five  thousand  dollars  ;  to  Mrs. 
J.  S.  Roberts  three  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
acres  of  land  at  the  same  rate  per  acre,  three 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  157 

thousand  three  hundred  and  seventy  dollars,  the 
balance  of  the  tract  remaining  with  the  Orphans' 
Home  Society. 

The  Orphans'  Home  building  was  wrecked  by 
the  wonderful  wind  storm  or  hurricane  of  1879. 
When,  therefore,  we  came  in  1881,  with  our  faith 
and  our  lease,  and  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in 
money,  we  had  a  large  tract  of  land  worth  but 
little  in  the  market,  and  but  little  fence  that 
would  stand  the  shock  of  the  most  inoffensive 
animal  or  the  most  moderate  blow  of  wind.  The 
building  could  not  be  occupied  in  any  part,  and 
had  to  be  taken  down,  except  a  part  of  the 
lower  story  outer  wall.  There  was  a  village 
called  by  us  La  Teche — beautiful,  precious 
name — but  our  friend,  Mr.  Gilbert,  could  not 
easily  wind  his  tongue  about  its  Gallic  fluidity, 
and  so  we  parted  with  it.  There  was  a  little 
one-story  brick  hovel  that  had  once  been  a  planta- 
tion store  building,  and  we  utilized  it  for  the 
same  purpose  as  of  yore.  There  was  across  the 
way  from  the  store  a  little  church,  25  feet  by  40 
feet,  and  therein  we  reopened  La  Teche  Seminary. 

Mr.  George  Wells,  A.M.,  now  the  Rev.  Professor 
George  Wells,  of  Wiley  University,  Marshall, 


158  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Tex.,  was  our  assistant  teacher.  We  were 
invited  to  receive  the  public  school,  and  we  ac- 
cepted it.  Mr.  J.  T.  B.  Labau,  now  the  Rev.  J.  T.  B. 
Labau,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  this  place, 
came  as  teacher  with  the  public  school.  We  did 
some  teaching  ourselves,  but  we  gave  much  time 
to  rebuilding  the  Home  and  cultivating  the  farm. 

Notwithstanding  the  dreary  outlook  and  our 
small  means  we  looked  at  the  inevitable,  and  never 
had  one  despairing  thought.  Glory  to  God  !  To 
him  is  ascribed  now  and  always  every  degree  of 
our  success.  Every  building,  desk,  book,  fence, 
tool,  machine  ;  every  teacher  and  every  scholar, 
has  been  the  answer  to  prayer.  Sometimes  the 
answer,  especially  in  the  form  of  teacher,  has  been 
a  thorn  to  distress  us,  but,  at  the  same  time  we 
acknowledge  it  thankfully,  to  discipline  and  bless. 

The  reconstruction  of  the  Home  building  cost 
us  eleven  hundred  and  eighty-six  dollars  and  sixty- 
six  cents.  It  was  not  finished,  but  we  could  occupy 
three  rooms. 

Since  then  we  have  expended  in  buildings  not 
far  from  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  property 
is  now  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State  of  Louisiana, 
and  bears  not  one  dollar  of  indebtedness. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  159 

As  it  now  stands,  with  due  consideration  of 
market  values,  the  property  may  be  truthfully  and 
conservatively  estimated  as  follows  : 

i  ,000  acres,  at  §30  per  acre  .....  .  ...............  $30,000 

6  buildings  and  their  several  attachments  .........  30,000 

1  3^  acres,  at  $300  per  acre  ......................  4,050 

6  lots,  at  $700  each  .............................  4,200 

27  lots,  at  $150  each  ...........................  4,050 

Furniture  and  machinery  .......................  3,5°° 


The  above  includes  the  land  belonging  to  the 
Freedmen's  Aid  and  Southern  Education  Society 
and  that  which  belongs  to  the  Orphans'  Home 
Society. 


PLANS  OF  DEVELOPMENT. 

We  do  not  stand  still.  Life  means  growth. 
Gilbert  Academy  and  Agricultural  College  is  a 
live  thing. 

Twelve  hundred  acres  of  land,  six  good  com- 
modious buildings,  efficient  teachers,  comprehen- 
sive organization,  both  academic  and  industrial — 
these  things,  taken  together  with  the  condition 
and  prospects  of  the  country,  furnish  an  outlook 
of  progress  and  success. 

There  will  soon  be  a  new  building  for  church 


l6o  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

and  chapel  to  cost  about  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  of  which  one  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  are  already  secured. 

There  are  hundreds  of  magnificent  cypress 
trees  in  our  swamp  awaiting  the  axe,  the  saw,  and 
the  plane.  In  them  is  a  good  source  of  revenue. 
We  should  have  a  saw-mill  beside  the  swamp, 
and  a  planing-mill  near  at  hand. 

A  stock  farm  is  a  very  great  desideratum.  Our 
arable  land  being  preoccupied  with  the  culture  of 
sugar  cane  and  rice,  we  need  to  buy  a  small  tract 
of  land  whereon  we  can  produce  our  own  milk 
and  beef. 

We  can  make  revenue  from  the  pecan  tree, 
which  produces  the  most  desirable  of  all  nuts  in 
the  market — a  nut  that  always  commands  a 
good  price.  A  small  tract  of  land  is  needed  for  a 
pecan  orchard. 

At  present  we  sell  our  sugar  cane.  It  would 
be  better  to  have  a  mill  for  the  manufacture  of 
open-kettle  sugar  and  molasses.  These  articles 
are  going  out  of  the  market  with  the  prevalance 
of  refineries,  but  they  will  always  command  a 
good  price,  especially  the  New  Orleans  molasses. 
Nothing  so  good  for  domestic  use  is  as  yet 
known. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  l6l 

We  need  steam  power  in  our  industrial  build- 
ing. With  that  we  can  enlarge  the  scale  of  our 
industries,  increase  production,  and  teach  many 
more  things  that  are  practical  to  our  students. 

In  short,  here,  in  the  richest  part  of  Louisiana, 
with  all  facilities  of  transportation  by  rail  and 
by  water,  is  a  place  for  the  great  industrial 
institution. 

December  10,  1881. — The  presiding  elder  held 
Quarterly  Conference.  Among  his  duties  was 
the  examination  of  some  men  who  applied  for 
license  to  preach.  The  following  are  some  of  the 
questions  and  answers  : 

Presiding  Elder. — "  How  do  you  know  that 
God  exists  ?  " 

Candidate. — "  I  know  it  because  I  have  faith  in 
him." 

Presiding  Elder. — "  What  is  God  ?  " 

Candidate. — "  He  is  a  spirit." 

Presiding  Elder. — "  How  do  you  know  that 
God  is  a  spirit  ?  What  does  the  Bible  say  about 
it?" 

Candidate. — "  It  says,  'God  moves  in  a  myste- 
rious way.'" 

Presiding  Elder. — "  No,  no.  I'll  give  you  two 
bits  if  you'll  find  that  in  the  Bible." 


1 62  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Candidate. —  "I  don't  know  whether  it's  in  the 
Bible  or  not ;  but  I  can  find  it  in  this  book." 
He  took  down  the  pulpit  Bible  and  began  to 
search. 

Presiding  Elder. — "  No,  no.  We  can't  take 
time  to  look  now;  just  find  it  when  you  have 
time,  and  let  me  know." 

Another  was  examined : 

Presiding  Eider. — "  Do  you  believe  in  a  general 
judgment." 

Candidate. — "  I  do." 

Presiding  Elder. — "  Why  do  you  so  believe? 
What  says  the  Bible  ?  " 

Candidate. — "  It  says, '  I  shall  come  in  my  chariot 
to  judge  you.' " 

Presiding  Elder. — "  Ah  !  No,  no.  That's  not 
in  the  Bible." 

The  presiding  elder  afterward  inquired, 
"  Brother ,  what  do  you  think  of  the  exami- 
nations?" 

Answer. — "They  reminded  me  of  a  recitation 
at  the  university  in  New  Orleans.  A  young  man 
was  requested  to  define  the  word  'ancestor.'  He 
said  '  It's  something  to  dig  with.'" 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  163 

SOME  OF  THE  SHADOWS. 

December  31. — I  sought  to  aid  a  young  man 
who  had  been  brought  up  at  the  Home  by  taking 
him  into  my  household,  providing  for  all  his  wants, 
and  educating  him  in  return  for  what  services  he 
might  render.  He  made  indecent  proposals  to  a 
young  lady  in  the  seminary,  and  was  incorrigible. 
He  had  to  go. 

I  took  another  young  man  to  be  his  successor. 
He  proved  dishonest,  and  had  to  be  discharged. 

I  employed  two  men  to  make  shingles.  They 
contracted  to  make  thirty  thousand.  After  mak- 
ing about  sixteen  thousand,  and  getting  their  pay, 
they  went  on  a  spree.  One  of  them  broke  into 
his  father-in-law's  house  by  night,  stole  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  dollars,  and  disappeared.  The 
other  soon  dropped  work  and  left. 

One  brave  Union  soldier,  who  gloried  in  coming 
from  New  York,  did  some  good  work.  He  ran  in 
debt  at  our  store  to  the  amount  of  sixty  dollars, 
and  then  ran  clear  out  of  sight,  not  returning.  We 
levied  on  his  shanty  and  boat.  Sometime  after 


164  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

he  came  by  night,  stole  his  boat,  and  sailed  away 
— whither?  We  only  know  that  he  and  his  boat 
were  lively  on  Grand  Lake. 

One  man  stole  fifteen  bushels  of  oats  from  our 
warehouse;  came  and  reported  the  theft  to  us 
as  a  discovery,  made  known  out  of  neighborly 
kindness.  He  never  knew  that  we  learned  his 
guilt.  He  prayed  well,  and  stole  well.  We 
hope  the  mercy  of  God  may  be  such  that  he 
will  have  a  good  store  of  treasure  laid  up  in 
heaven  after  due  deduction  is  made  for  the  stolen 
oats. 

These  incidents  are  given,  not  to  magnify  the 
bad  traits  of  an  unfortunate  people,  not  to  carry 
the  implication  that  they  are  all  of  them,  or  even 
a  majority  of  them,  of  that  character,  but  to  illus- 
trate the  reverses  experienced  by  us  enthusiastic 
people,  who  began  by  enveloping  the  race,  that 
had  been  well-nigh  crucified  by  slavery,  with  a 
halo  of  sanctity  and  a  supernal  beauty.  We  were 
disenchanted.  But  we  love  the  dear  colored 
people,  as  they  actually  are  no  less  than  as  we 
dreamed  them  to  be. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  165 

AN  ENTRY  IN  THE  JOURNAL. 
"THOU  the  tormenter  dischargest  us  from  the 
present  life,  but  the  king  of  the  world  will  raise 
us  up  unto  an  immortal  renewal  of  life  when  we 
have  died  for  the  sake  of  his  laws"  (2  Maccabees, 
vii,  9).  These  sublime  words  are  those  of  a  young 
man — one  of  seven  brothers — who,  with  their 
mother,  suffered  martyrdom  under  Antiochus 
Epiphanes.  The  conquered  was  conqueror. 
Thanks  to  God  for  faith's  victory. 

January  2,  1882. — A.  A —  —  is  a  young  man 
who  was  in  our  school  in  1875,  a  boy  of  fifteen 
then,  and  not  bad.  Of  late  years,  like  many 
others,  he  has  been  spoiled  by  association  with  the 
wicked.  The  coming  of  the  railroad  has  cor- 
rupted our  provincial  simplicity.  Many  crimi- 
nals and  men  of  the  baser  sort  came  to  work  on 
the  roadbed.  Our  orphan  youth  and  village 
boys  and  girls — the  seminary  at  the  time  hav- 
ing been  suspended — were  led  into  evil  ways. 

A had  become  addicted  to  drink,  and  when 

intoxicated  was  violent.  When  his  sister  died  a 
few  weeks  ago  he  was  drunk,  beastly  so,  unable 
to  realize  the  entrance  of  death  into  the  family 


1 66  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

circle,  too  drunk  to  be  at  the  funeral  service.  A 
few  days  later  he  came  to  work  for  me,  as  he  had 

done  before.     Said  I,  "  A ,  you  took  the  money 

I  paid  you  the  last  time  and  wasted  it  in  a  spree. 
It  did  you  no  good.  As  a  friend  I  would  advise 
you  not  to  take  your  money  at  the  end  of  the 
week,  but  leave  it  with  me  and  save  it.  Then  let 
drink  alone  and  be  a  sober  man  ;  make  the  most 
of  yourself." 

He  promised,  and  actually  quit  drink. 

February  i. — A.  A died  the  other  day. 

He  was  clearly  changed,  penitent,  hopeful,  trust- 
ful, ready  to  die. 

Planted  a  couple  of  bay  trees  in  my  garden 
the  other  day.  Riding  along  the  road  to-day 

Newman  M walked  beside  me.  Said  I  : 

"  Brother  M ,  you  see  that  I  set  out  a 

bay  tree  the  other  day ;  it  is  alive  ;  it  does 
not  seem  harmed  by  transplanting."  "  O,  no," 
said  he ;  "  dey's  a  tree  dat  nebber  dies.  Pros' 
doan*  hurt  dem."  This  is  a  comment  on  the 
"green  bay  tree"  of  Scripture.  The  leaves  of 
the  bay  tree  are  used  here  for  making  tea. 
Many  prefer  it  to  "  store  tea."  The  root  is  used 
for  poulticing. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  167 

November  18,  1882. — Overtook  an  old  colored 
brother  this  morning  a  little  this  side  of  Franklin. 
He  wore  a  slouchy  old  hat,  and  various  old  rags 
patched  and  tied  together.  He  drove  two  thin, 
starved  little  Creole  horses — one  bay  and  one  gray 
— fastened  with  bits  of  rope  and  leather  harness 
to  a  wee  bit  of  a  cart,  of  which  the  body  was  part 
boards  and  part  shingles  He  had  some  boxes 
and  some  hay,  and  was  selling  vegetables,  eggs, 
etc.  He  often  stopped  to  sell  something  from 
the  rear  of  his  chariot  to  some  dear  Dinah  under 
a  sun-bonnet,  and  with  each  held  a  delicious  con- 
versation interspersed  with  joke  and  banter  and 
jolly  ejaculations — not  remitted  until  distance 
bade  him  look  forward  to  another  customer  and 
entertainer.  When  I  overtook  him,  he  shouted 
gayly,  "  Good  mawnin',  docter."  I  inquired  if  he 
had  eggs. 

"  Yes,  docter,  but  dey's  two  bits,  now." 

"  Very  well,"  I  said  ;  "  keep  two  dozen  for  me, 
and  leave  them  at  my  house  when  you  come 
back." 

"  I  will,  ef  I  kin.  Ah  !  Ah  !  I  knows  ye,  doc- 
ter ;  I'se  Austin.  I'se  been  intadoosed  ter  ye." 

"  O  yes,"  I  said ;  "  I  know  you  and  your  wife 
and  your  boys." 


l68  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

"  Yes,  sah  ;  yu  lives  in  de  same  place,  an'  I 
wants  to  do  as  neighbors  livin'  in  de  same  place. 
Ort  to  be  good  to  one  'nuther.  Folkses  down 
yer's  kin'  o'  ignorant.  Ye  has  ter  learn  'em.  I 
war  brought  up  in  de  Norf  to  be  good  to  one 
'nuther.  I  goes  fu  yer  larnin'  an'  eddication. 
Yah  !  Yah  !  " 

November  27. — G buried  to-day  ;  a  mur- 
dered man.  He  was  gambling  with  a  companion 
yesterday,  Lord's  Day  ;  a  friend  rode  up  and  en- 
tered into  conversation.  Altercation  ensued ; 
then  came  the  revolver.  One  of  the  most  tal- 
ented of  our  youth  lay  dead.  Gambling,  drink- 
ing, horse-racing  on  the  Lord's  Day  associate 
themselves  with  the  state  of  moral  sentiment  that 
sets  low  value  on  human  life,  and  carries  deadly 
weapons  as  manly  outfit.  The  devil  has  a  big 
mortgage  here.  I  mean  to  dispute  it  with  him, 
the  Lord  willing. 

November  28. — Cold  this  morning.  Thermom- 
eter stood  47°  above  zero  at  9  A.  M.  No  frost  last 
night  by  reason  of  clouds.  Have  ground  the 
cane  from  nine  acres  and  obtained  nineteen  hogs- 
heads of  sugar.  There  will  probably  be  twenty- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  169 

two  to  twenty-five  barrels  of  molasses  from  it 
Nearly  all  the  balance  of  cane  is  cut  and  wind- 
rowed  to  preserve  it  until  we  can  get  the  use  of 
the  mill  to  grind  it.  This  will  cause  some  loss, 
but  I  must  submit.  My  wood  is  already  drawn, 
and  I  have  no  other  place  to  grind.  Do  not 
know  that  I  could  now  sell  the  cane  to  advan- 
tage. I  might  possibly  substantiate  claim  to  legal 
remedy  and  secure  damage,  but  this  would  be, 
in  every  sense,  a  costly  relief;  besides,  I  think  my 
partner  in  the  grinding  is  honest.  He  delays  me 
because  of  the  danger  to  his  own  crop.  He  owns 
the  mill.  He  made  contract  to  deliver  his  crop  of 
sugar  and  molasses  December  31,  in  New  Orleans, 
to  his  merchant,  who  is  embarrassed  by  many 
loans  and  advances.  I  seem,  therefore,  shut  up 
to  the  duty  of  waiting,  which  involves  loss.  Thou, 
O  Lord,  knowest  all  this.  I  commit  it  to  thee. 

To-day  we're  building  a  little  temporary  kitchen 
to  our  dwelling.  Wood-cutting,  plowing,  and 
wood-hauling  are  going  on.  The  school  goes  for- 
ward daily  and  the  work  on  the  Home. 

My  God!  Has  thy  world  always  been  so 
wicked?  Have  men  always  been  such  haters  of 


170  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

each  other?  Have  they  always  been  such  plot- 
ters of  evil  ?  Have  they  always  so  conspired 
against  each  other,  apparently  from  the  pure 
love  of  the  evil  ?  Canst  thou  make  any  good 
thing  of  us  ?  Ah,  how  long !  Eternity  is  thine. 
Immortality  is  ours.  Maybe  thou  canst  change 
us  for  the  better.  Wilt  thou  try  us  again 
after  we  die  ?  Shall  some  of  us  have  another 
chance  beyond  this  perilous  shore  ?  O,  spare 
us ;  try  us  again,  if  thy  goodness  be  not  clean 
worn  out. 

December,  1882. — Order  of  ordinary  day's  oc- 
cupation, i.  Rise  at  6  A.  M.  Private  devotion. 
2.  G.  W—  —  recites  Greek  one  hour.  3.  Breakfast 
7:30  A.  M.  4.  Correspondence  8:30  to  10  A.  M. 
5.  On  horseback.  Visit  the  Home  building  and 
advise  about  work  going  on  there.  Visit  the 
cane  field  and  the  sugar  mill.  Directions  to  give 
and  consultations  to  hold  everywhere.  Frequent 
stoppings  at  the  plantation  store  for  business. 
Return  at  noon.  Dinner  somewhere  between 
12  and  i.  6.  E.  L —  -  recites  Latin,  Greek,  and 
Algebra  from  i  to  2:30  P.  M.  7.  Running  over  the 
day's  mail.  8.  To  the  store  at  4  P.  M.  9.  Return 
at  7  P.  M.  10.  Tea.  11.  Reading  and  conver- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  I  Jl 

sation.  12.  Prayers  with  the  household.  13.  Re- 
tire. In  sugar-rolling  time  up  at  4  A.  M.  and  off 
to  the  mill. 

December  1 7. — After  Sunday  school  a  sermon  by 
G.  W .  He  has  fought  much  against  his  con- 
victions of  duty.  He  announced  for  his  text  Gal. 
vi.  14.  At  the  closing  of  his  discourse,  he  said,  with 
tears  in  his  eyes  and  a  tremor  in  his  voice  :  "  The 
wisest  thing  for  a  Christian,  nay,  his  only  course,  is 
to  lay  down  his  opposition  to  God's  will ;  and,  if 
Christ  says,  '  Go  preach,'  to  do  it  at  any  cost,  and 
in  it  find  the  crown."  The  people  were  touched. 
As  soon  as  he  sat  down  a  sister  began  singing 
•"  Nearer,  my  God,  to  Thee."  Then  the  pastor 
opened  the  doors  of  the  church  with  some  im- 
pressive words  on  the  swift  passage  of  life  and 
the  importance  of  deciding  our  allegiance  to  God 
before  we  die.  Then  was  sung  "  Almost  per- 
suaded," and  amidst  the  singing  an  old  and  faith- 
ful servant  of  Satan,  a  smart,  capable,  well-to-do 
man,  came  forward,  weeping,  and  threw  himself 
on  his  knees  in  presence  of  the  congregation. 
All  were  profoundly  moved.  After  prayers,  ad- 
vices, singing,  and  handshaking,  and  before  the 
pastor  was  quite  ready  for  the  doxology  and  the 


172  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

benediction,  there  came  forward  from  the  door  a 
poor  man,  roughly  clad  and  toil-worn,  looking 
sad,  but  sober  and  sincere.  He  wished  to  speak, 
and  the  pastor  assented.  He  said :  "  I'se  a 
stranger,  an'  a  po'  man,  an'  in  a  tight  place, 
'jes'  now."  Addressing  himself  directly  to  the 
minister,  he  added  :  "  My  mother-in-law  is  a 
Methodist,  but  I  is  not  I  don'  know  'at  I  ever 
shall  be ;  but  I  want  you  to  bury  my  chile  'at  is 
dead." 

"  I  will,"  answered  the  minister,  "  and  I  hope 
this  event  will  show  you  that  it  is  the  Lord's 
will  you  yourself  should  prepare  to  die,  for 
your  turn  to  die  may  come  within  twenty-four 
hours.  Where  do  you  wish  your  child  to  be 
buried,  sir  ?  " 

"In  your  buryin'-groun'." 

"  Very  well ;  I'll  attend  to  it."  This  in  the 
presence  of  the  listening  congregation.  Thus  do 
all  the  throbs  of  the  human  heart  come  into 
God's  house. 

December  22. — Received  some  days  ago  tele- 
gram announcing  the  coming  of  my  family,  and 
repaired  to  New  Orleans  to  meet  them.  The 
blessed  company  arrived  according  to  program, 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  173 

and  we  returned  to  this  place,  our  home.  The 
register  of  the  party  is  thus :  Mrs.  A.  H.  God- 
man,  Miss  Inez  A.  Godman,  Rev.  W.  R.  Web- 
ster, of  Mount  Vernon,  N.  Y. ;  Mrs.  S.  W.  Dex- 
ter, of  Dexter,  Mich.;  Miss  Abbie  Wright,  of 
New  York;  Miss  Emma  Fisher,  of  New  York; 
Miss  Victoria  Sutton,  Miss  Maria  Jackson,  Miss 
Susie  Kinchin,  Miss  Corinne  Comb,  and  Master 
James  Jackson,  of  La  Teche,  La.;  Master  Frank 
Clermont,  of  New  Orleans. 

The  through  Texas  train  would  not  stop.  We 
had,  therefore,  to  leave  at  Franklin,  and  come 
home  in  hacks.  Here  we  are  in  our  own  hum- 
ble home,  just  as  happy  as  if  .inclosed  in  castle 
walls.  Our  Father's  work  is  its  own  most  glori- 
ous reward. 

December  23. — At  home.  We  are  overjoyed  to 
have  our  mother  with  us.  Mrs  S.  W.  Dexter 
has  been  a  great  friend  to  the  Home.  Busy  at 
the  store.  Everybody  is  astir  in  the  preparations 
for  Christmas.  At  night  the  fair  began  in  the 
Home.  What  a  marvel !  Thank  God  !  The 
Home  is  so  far  restored  that  we  can  occupy 
one  large  room.  We'll  soon  have  the  Seminary 
in  it. 


174  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

December  24. — The  Lord's  Day.  The  pastor 
preached  the  morning  sermon  from  the  "  white 
horse  and  his  rider."  The  sermon  in  the  after- 
noon was  by  the  Rev.  William  R.  Webster,  on 
"  This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with 
them."  i.  The  receiver.  2.  The  received.  3.  The 
reception.  The  effect  was  very  happy.  At  the 
close  the  parents  came  forward  to  pray  for  their 
children. 

December  25. — Merry  Christmas.  Stockings, 
stockings !  Every  one  has  stockings,  and  every 
stocking  has  contents.  Every  face  is  bright ; 
every  heart  is  light.  A  merry  Christmas.  If  the 
human  heart  has  any  cause  for  gladness  it  is 
the  event  proclaimed  by  Christmas.  We  ought 
always  to  be  happy,  and  on  Christmas  may  be 
"  merry."  The  Father  is  glad  to  have  us  so.  Re- 
ception in  the  church  at  night. 

January  6,  1883. — Commenced  potting  sugar 
to-day.  Quality  good.  Sent  to  Franklin  for  mo- 
lasses barrels ;  received  twelve. 

At  night  a  concert  at  the  church  in  Frank- 
lin, Rev.  Emperor  Williams,  pastor.  A  num- 
ber of  white  citizens  were  present ;  among 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE. 


/  0 


them  Mr.  Homer  Smith,  formerly  from  New 
Haven,  Conn.  Mr.  Smith  expressed  great  de- 
light in  the  singing.  He  was  surprised  and 
pleased  to  witness  the  evident  culture  of  the  col- 
ored youth.  Encouraged  us  to  persevere.  In 
such  work  the  compensation  lies  chiefly  in  moral 
effects.  The  financial  result  is  most  frequently 
trifling.  We  have  tried  to  do  a  part  toward  dem- 
onstrating the  colored  boy's  and  the  colored 
girl's  capacity  for  culture.  There  is  no  question 
about  the  capacity  of  the  white  boy.  There  will 
soon  be  no  question  about  that  of  the  colored. 
Late  rains  made  the  roads  almost  impassable,  and 
we  risked  life  itself  in  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
Reached  home  at  midnight.  Thanks  to  thee, 
Father,  for  opportunity  to  do  some  work  for  thee. 
No  work  of  thine  is  either  high  or  low.  It  is  all 
noble  and  fine. 

January  7. — At  the  sugar  mill  some  days  ago 
it  was  discovered  that  a  valise  and  other  valu- 
ables, as  well  as  nine  dollars'  worth  of  labor  tick- 
ets, had  disappeared  from  the  possession  of  certain 
parties.  Thefts  about  the  mill  have  been  fre- 
quent. The  tickets  were  traced  to  a  certain  Negro 
lad,  found  in  his  possession,  and  identified. 


176  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Discovering  a  crowd  to-day  in  a  certain  part  of 
the  sugar  mill  I  advanced  to  make  observations. 
A  bold  colored  man  of  twenty-five  or  thirty 
years,  or  more — for  I'm  not  good  at  judging  the 
age  of  color — with  strong  and  decided  African 
features,  had  the  aforesaid  lad  down  on  the  floor, 
confining  him,  despite  his  struggling  and  scream- 
ing, holding  him  down  with  his  knees,  and  with 
his  hands  fastening  a  rope  around  the  neck  of  the 
wrathy,  struggling  boy.  Here,  then,  was  a  scene — 
a  black  man  bulldozing  a  black  boy,  and  a  large 
crowd  of  both  blacks  and  whites  gazing  intently 
on.  I  stood  by  resolved  to  see  fair  play,  being 
aware  of  the  antecedents.  The  boy  had  belonged 
to  our  school,  was  a  bad  fellow,  and  frightening 
him  might  be  wholesome.  The  man  fastened 
the  rope,  snatched  up  the  body  in  one  hand  and, 
holding  the  rope  with  the  other,  walked  out  un- 
der the  cane  shed,  ostensibly  to  hang  the  squirm- 
ing, yelling  creature  to  one  of  the  many  posts. 
He  threw  him  first  on  the  ground  and  pommeled 
him,  and  the  boy  rolled  and  foamed  and  cursed. 
The  man  made  as  though  he  would  adjust  the 
rope  preparatory  to  hanging,  and  the  roar  of  the 
cub  was  more  fearful  than  ever.  Then  said  the 
man,  "  I  won't  kill  you  ; "  untied  the  rope  from 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  177 

his  neck,  let  the  boy  up,  and  then  struck  him  a 
terrible  blow  on  the  back  with  the  doubled  rope, 
and  the  boy  screamed  hideously.  The  rope  was 
raised  for  a  second  blow,  but  I  stepped  between, 
putting  my  left  hand  on  the  boy,  giving  him  a 
push,  and  saying,  "  Go  home  ;"  then  looked  around 
silently  on  the  excited,  bold  and  angry  man,  who, 
with  uplifted  arm,  restrained  himself,  and  said, 
with  softened  tone,  "  Docter,  get  out  of  the  way." 
I  only  turned  again  to  the  boy  and  hurried  him 
away. 

Later  in  the  day,  while  in  the  purgery,  I  ad- 
vanced toward  the  remote  end  of  the  room  where 
two  Negroes  were  potting  sugar,  and  a  white 
youth  was  not  far  away  engaged  in  the  same  em- 
ploy. One  of  the  Negroes  was  the  bold  man  of 
the  morning  who  had  chastised  the  thief.  When 
I  was  near  him  he  said,  "  What  I  don't  like  is 
to  have  dese  yer  wite  folks  interferin'  when  a 
fellow  has  a  fight  Some  of  dese  days  dey'll  get 
hurt." 

I  interrupted,  saying,  "  Now  you  would  not 
hurt  me  for  saying  you  must  not  fight,  would 
you  ?  " 

"  Ah,"  said  he,  with  a  grim  smile,  "  I  doan'  know, 

8* 


178  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

docter,  it's  putty  hard  wen  a  man  has  to  whip  a 
lyin'  thief  like  dat  to  be  interfered  wid  ;  a  man's 
got  to  whip  him." 

"  Well,  I've  read  in  a  certain  book, '  If  a  man 
shall  smite  thee  — 

"  Yes,  docter,  but  —  " 

"  No,  don't  interrupt  me;  wait  till  I  get  through. 
I've  read  that  if  a  man  shall  smite  thee  on  one 
cheek  turn  to  him  the  other  also." 

"  Yes,  but  the  book  says,  too,  '  the  wicked  must 
be  punished ;'  and,  docter,  I  knows  'at  if  I  turn  de 
other  cheek  to  the  man  that  strikes  me  he'll  jest 
kill  me  ;  that's  all  dey  is  of  it ;  that's  de  way  it  is 
wid  us  fellows." 

"  Well,  I  know  there  is  much  in  that ;  much 
truth  in  what  you  say ;  but  if  we  have  done  no 
wrong,  have  said  no  provoking  word,  have  done 
nothing  to  justify  violence,  then  the  man  will  not 
strike  the  second  time  when  we  give  him  the 
other  cheek.  The  trouble  with  us  is  that  we  say 
angry  things  and  bring  on  retaliation ;  but,  after 
all,  if  we  have  done  no  wrong  we  can  trust  in 
God  if  the  man  does  kill  us."  The  man  was 
silent,  not  knowing  what  to  say  for  a  time.  At 
length,  he  said,  "  I  doan  know  about  bein'  killed  ; 
I'll  hev  to  think  'bout  that."  So  we  parted. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  179 

The  most  picturesque  place  I  have  ever  seen 
is  the  sugarhouse — the  old-style  house — at  sugar- 
rolling  time.  The  motley  crowd  of  Negro  men 
and  women,  their  strange  attire,  their  weird  songs, 
their  wild  and  simple  manners,  their  coarse  and 
lively  perennial  drollness  and  mirth  ;  the  mules, 
the  carts,  the  dogs,  the  picaninnies,  the  Creole 
boys  and  girls,  the  odd,  fantastic  lanterns,  the 
varied  sounds  of  boiler,  engine,  rollers,  and  kettles 
— all  is  confusion  subdued  into  harmony,  with  a 
prevailing  grotesqueness  suggestive  of  Egyptian 
architecture,  Oriental  tales,  and  European  culture. 
If  I  were  a  painter  I  should  find  scenes  for  the 
easel.  The  painters,  if  they  come  not  soon,  will 
be  too  late ;  for  the  old  is  rapidly  giving  way  to 
the  new. 


A  VISIT. 

February,  17,  1883. — Yesterday  a  visit  from 
Benny,  the  cripple.  We  have  provided  for  him 
since  1880.  He  is  now  twenty-seven  years  of  age, 
and  enjoys  the  watchful  care  of  Aunt  Millie— Mrs. 
Millie  Augustus — a  most  faithful  and  competent 
woman.  A  paralyzed  tongue  makes  Benny's 
speech  thick  and  almost  incomprehensible.  "  I 


ISO  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

lov'th  'e  Lawd,  an'  I  know  he  lov'th  me.  I  can't 
do  much  for  him,  but  I  reads  his  word  and  keeps 
it  hy'ur  in  my  chair  all  day."  "  Well,  Benny,  does 
the  Lord  stay  here  with  you  all  day  ?  "  "  Ye'th 
he  do,"  said  Benny,  convulsively,  with  a  glowing 
countenance  and  a  suppressed  feeling  of  grief  be- 
cause he  could  not  express  himself  easily.  "  What 
is  your  greatest  trial,  Benny  ?  "  "  Dem  boys  'ut's 
all  de  time  a  teasin'  me.  Dey  makes  me  so 
mad." 

"  Ah,  Benny,  we,  as  Christians,  must  endure  all 
things." 

"  Not  from  dem  bad  boys,"  with  a  shake  of  the 
head  and  a  rumple  of  the  lips. 

At  this  visit  Benny  said  with  a  smile,  "  Doctor, 
I  'sink  I  keeps  my  temper  better  now." 

He  sat  for  hours  on  the  gallery,  looked  out 
into  the  grove,  watched  the  mocking-birds  wor- 
rying the  dogs,  enjoyed  the  sports  of  the  chil- 
dren and  the  gayety  of  their  music  on  the  flageolet 
and  harmonica.  At  6  p.  M.  I  took  him  back  to 
Sister  A's,  both  of  us  feeling  we  had  not  lost 
a  day. 

We  have  now  in  our  household  George  W. 
Wells,  professor  in  La  Teche  Seminary,  an  alum- 
nus of  New  Orleans  University  ;  Mrs.  Mary  A. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  l8l 

Hall,  Professor  Wells'  adopted  mother;  Miss 
Abbie  Wright,  organist,  and  Miss  Emma  Fisher, 
sopranist,  from  New  York;  Master  James  Jack- 
son, Master  Henry  Williams,  Miss  Maria  (Yi) 
Jackson,  Miss  Marie  Frangois  Alphonsie  Nar- 
cisse.  Duca  Comb  has  gone  North ;  likewise 
Melinda  Bowles.  Some  of  the  remaining  children 
may  go  North. 

December  2. — Home  from  the  North  Septem- 
ber 21.  The  cane  looked  pretty  well,  better  than 
written  accounts  had  led  me  to  expect.  I  was 
disappointed,  though,  in  finding  it  short,  averag- 
ing about  ten  mature  joints. 

The  outcome  is  now  (December)  before  us — 
one  fifth  of  a  crop.  What  a  failure !  Well,  so 
much  for  land  unsubdued,  that  had  lain  so  long 
uncultivated,  and  had  been  overrun  by  wire  grass  ; 
so  much  for  lack  of  fertilizer  ;  so  much  for  inex- 
perience ;  so  much  for  an  unfavorable  season  — 
excess  of  rain  in  June  and  July.  We  are  in  the 
same  boat  with  other  planters,  but  we  scarcely 
dare  hold  up  the  head  and  say  that  from  thirty 
acres  we  have  as  net  results  only  five  hundred 
and  fifty-five  dollars.  Were  I  an  unbeliever,  or  a 
man  of  the  world,  I  should  be  mortified,  indeed. 


l82  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

But  I  shall  suffer  neither  grief  nor  mortification. 
I've  done  the  best  I  knew  how,  and  done  it  for 
the  Lord.  His  will  be  done.  Perhaps  next  year 
he  will  give  us  more. 

"  They  that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall  renew  their 
strength."  I  find  in  a  Kempis  what  meets  my 
case  this  morning  :  "  Come  thou  unto  me  when  it 
is  not  well  with  thee."  "  Is  there  anything  hard 
to  me,  or  shall  I  be  like  unto  one  that  promiseth 
and  performeth  not?" 

"  I  know  the  secret  thoughts  of  thy  heart,  and 
that  it  is  very  expedient  for  thy  welfare  that  thou 
be  left  sometimes  without  spiritual  enjoyment, 
lest  perhaps  thou  shouldest  be  willing  to  please 
thyself  in  that  which  thou  art  not" 

"  When  I  give,  it  is  still  mine  ;  when  I  withdraw 
it  I  take  not  anything  that  is  thine ;  for  every 
good  and  every  perfect  gift  is  mine." 

February  17,  1884. — "There  is  none  good  but 
God."  I  renounce  myself  and  utterly  abhor 
the  being  named  "  I."  I  despise  my  learning.  I 
hold  in  contempt  my  little  talents.  It  is  all  bosh, 
whatever  a  man  can  do.  God  only  does  any- 
thing but  sin.  Man  can  but  be  carried  onward 
by  the  arms  that  encircle  him.  The  only  thing 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  183 

man  does  is  to  rebel,  and  that  is  unavailing.  I 
am  content.  I  am  nothing.  I  am  held  at  all  I 
am  worth. 


CASTE. 

CASTE  means,  when  the  word  is  strictly  used,  a 
division  of  men  into  exclusive  classes — perma- 
nent, hereditary,  and  recognized  by  law  or  usage. 
But  the  word  is  used  with  laxity,  and  often  rep- 
resents, in  these  days,  any  social  classification 
that  makes  an  approach  or  effort  toward  exclusive- 
ness,  and  is  generative  of  prejudice. 

When  a  social  circle  becomes  exclusive,  "  high- 
toned,"  as  it  is  called,  it  does  not  for  that  reason 
constitute  a  caste.  Its  members  die,  and  there 
is  no  provision  for  succession.  Any  man  or 
woman  who  gains  enough  money  or  reputation 
will  be  admitted.  There  is  no  stigma  resultant 
from  exclusion.  There  is  just  as  much  loss  by 
the  membership  in  one  way  as  there  is  gain  in 
another. 

When  a  church  sets  itself  up  for  the  rich,  dis- 
couraging the  poor,  it  does  not  thereby  erect  a 
caste.  When  the  church  opens  her  doors  to 
white  and  black,  and  allows  them  to  go  together, 


184  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

or  apart,  as  they  choose,  she  is  not  thereby  cater- 
ing to  caste  feeling. 


POWER. 

GOD  has  done  all  things  well  and  has  implanted 
in  us  all  our  natural  propensities  and  affections 
for  the  attainment  of  good  ends.  The  love  of 
power,  meaning  the  desire  to  exert  our  energies 
and  achieve  something,  is  a  pure  motive,  and  is 
capable  of  most  exalted  holiness  and  refinement. 
But  the  desire  for  superiority,  which  is  in  many 
cases  the  essence  of  the  desire  for  power,  is  in 
most  men  a  selfish,  unholy  thing.  It  generates 
pharisaism  throughout  the  Church,  and  in  every 
part  of  human  society  is  degenerated  into  the 
most  hateful  of  all  things — the  meddling  with 
other  people's  affairs  for  the  simple  sake  of  power 
or  advantage  over  them. 

A  calm,  conscious  goodness  has  no  desire  to 
regulate  other  people.  A  wise  man  has  enough 
to  do  to  regulate  himself.  It  is  a  low  type  of 
character  that  cannot  feel  assured  of  its  own  use- 
fulness and  validity  except  as  it  meddles.  Author- 
ity, except  what  emanates  from  character,  is  a 
bogus  coin. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  185 

May  25. — Of  the  gladdest  moments,  methinks, 
in  human  life  is  the  departing  upon  a  distant 
journey  into  unknown  lands.  Shaking  ofifwith  one 
effort  the  fetters  of  habit,  the  leaden  weight  of 
routine,  the  cloak  of  carking  care,  and  the  slavery 
of  home,  man  feels  once  more  happy.  The  blood 
flows  with  the  fast  circulation  of  youth ;  excite- 
ment gives  new  vigor  to  the  muscles,  and  a  sense 
of  sudden  freedom  adds  an  inch  to  the  stature. 
Afresh  dawns  the  morn  of  life ;  again  the  bright 
world  is  beautiful  to  the  eye  and  the  glorious  face 
of  Nature  gladdens  the  soul.  A  journey,  in  fact, 
appeals  to  imagination,  to  memory,  to  hope,  the 
sister  graces  of  our  moral  being. — Captain  Bur- 
ton, " Zanzibar,  and  Two  Months  in  East  Africa" 
Exordium. 

There  is  a  long  journey  before  me.  For  the 
first  time  in  my  life  I  begin  to  contemplate  it  as 
near.  Imagination,  memory,  and  hope  are  busy. 
They  do  throw  their  charms  about  the  vision.  I 
am  "  rejoicing  in  hope,  patient  in  tribulation,  in- 
stant in  prayer." 

August  2,  1884. — Bears  and  coons  invading 
the  corn  fields  at  night.  The  bear  stands  on  his 


I  86  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

hind  feet,  tears  off  the  ears  of  corn  with  his  fore 
paws  as  if  they  were  hands.  After  he  has  gath- 
ered a  pile  he  takes  it  away  part  at  a  time,  as 
rapidly  as  he  can,  and  stores  it  at  his  lodging  in 
the  woods.  I  engaged  two  men  to  watch  for  the 
invaders  by  night,  paying  them  extra  wages. 

Brother  N—  —  said,  "  I  is  not  perduced  fur  dat 
kin'  'o  work,  kase  I  ain'  got  no  shoes  fitten  fur  it." 

"  Any  snakes  out  there  ?  " 

"  Snakes  ! "  said  A ,  a  famous  ditcher,  also  a 

bricklayer,  "  Snakes  ! " — with  a  shake  of  the  head 
and  a  grin — "  I'se  seen  snakes  in  de  grass  on  dat 
turn-row  as  big  as  a  man's  leg." 

"Well,  how  about  the  bears?  How  do  you 
know  there  are  bears  there  ?  " 

"  Kase,"  said  N ,  "  de  bar,  he's  a  mighty  pa'- 

tic'lar  animal.  He  pull  de  cawn,  an'  tote  it  away, 
an'  piles  it  up  afo'  he  eats  it.  Yes,  sah  !  " 

"  Yes,"  said  B ,  "  dat's  jes'  wat  dey  done 

bin  doin'." 

August  3. — An  "express"  meeting  to  day.  The 
pastor  stated  the  object  and  duty  of  the  hour, 
and  announced  the  hymn — 

"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  187 

One  said:  "  Brethren  and  sisters,  I  have  some 
acquaintance  with  that  fountain.  In  that  precious 
blood  my  sins  are  washed  away,  and  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  my  heart.  I  know  that 
my  name  is  written  in  heaven.  Besides,  I  love 
the  brethren — all — I  don't  know  any  person  whom 
I  do  not  love." 

This  seemed  to  furnish  the  keynote  to  the 
testimonies  that  followed.  All  said,  one  after 
another,  with  varying  expression,  "  I  know  noth- 
in'  'bout  hatred.  No  use  fur  me  to  say  I  love 
God  an'  hate  somebody.  Can't  do  it." 

After  a  while  rose  one  who  had  done  a  great 
deal  of  talking,  and  had  said  many  hard  things 
against  the  pastor  and  the  doctor.  She  said,  "  I 
know  an  '  open  confession  is  good  for  the  soul.'  I 
came  here  to-day  a-purpose  to  make  my  confes- 
sion to  you  all.  I  came  to  La  Teche  a  Christian ; 
and  I  thought  myself  a  tried  Christian.  But  I 
didn't  know  anything  about  it.  I  was  never  tried 
befo'." 

Here  she  broke  down  in  tears,  and  the  people 
sang.  After  a  time  the  singing  ceased  ;  the  sister 
had  recovered  herself,  and  continued  her  utter- 
ance : 


l88  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

"  I  came  to  make  my  confession.  This  is  not 
of  myself.  The  Lord  compelled  me  to  it." 

She  came  forward  and  asked  forgiveness,  and 
received  it. 

Then  came  the  melting  hearts  and  the  flowing 
eyes  all  over  the  house.  There  was  too  much 
feeling  for  anything  but  tears ;  otherwise  was 
profound  quiet.  After  a  lapse  of  minutes  two 
sisters,  Miriam-like,  with  bursts  of  joy,  with  clap- 
ping hands,  with  songs  of  praise,  skipped  between 
the  seats  and  through  the  aisles,  to  the  meas- 
ure of 

"  Gwine  to  jine  dat  heavenly  ban'." 

And   a  tumultuous  rush  of  praise  made  up  the 
refrain  for  the  foregoing  tears. 


SUPERSTITION. 

August  7. — Q had  white  swelling;   limb 

had  to  be  amputated.  The  patient  grew  better. 
People  say  that  a  snake,  by  evil  spell,  had  gained 
a  residence  in  the  victim  and  produced  the  dis- 
ease. The  place  where  the  snake  lay  in  the  limb 
was  visible,  they  say,  at  the  amputation,  but  the 
snake  himself"  had  dived  up  and  got  out  of  sight." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  189 

A  woman  is  very  ill.  It  is  alleged  that  her 
husband  put  an  evil  spell  on  her  by  telling  her 
when  she  was  about  to  eat  something  that  she 
would  pay  hard  for  it. 

A  woman  has  been  going  to  the  mourners' 
bench  for  many  nights.  The  matter  is  popularly 
explained  by  saying  that  some  one  standing  at 
her  gate  cast  an  evil  influence  upon  her,  and  that 
she  goes  to  the  altar  to  exorcise  the  evil  one. 

At  the  approach  of  a  childbirth  a  mother  con- 
tinues her  work,  but  the  father  grows  sick,  and 
often  goes  to  bed.  A  man  said  to-day,  when  I 
inquired  for  his  health,  "  O,  slow!  slow!  Wife  is 
in  family  way,  an'  of  cose  it  makes  me  sick." 

Is  this  superstition  ?  or  is  it  a  device  to  keep 
the  woman  at  work  and  let  the  husband  loaf? 

August  8. — Planters  are  becoming  discouraged. 
Imported  sugars  are  so  cheap  and  in  such  quanti- 
ties that  American  producers  cannot  compete. 
Some  are  going  out  of  cane,  and  will  take  rice 
instead. 

Augttst  9. — Thermometer  96°  in  the  shade. 
Cisterns  empty.  The  people  resort  to  the  bayou 


IQO  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

for  water.  It  is  thus  a  river  of  life.  There's  not 
much  cooking  in  this  country,  consequently  not 
much  firewood.  What  is  is  "  tooken." 

I  asked  X if  I  might  tell  him  something 

that  he  should  never  tell  to  another. 

"Sho'ly,  Brudder  T ,  I  won'  tell." 

"  Well,  Brother  X ,  I  know  that  K—  -  was 

ruined  at  's,  and  I  want  you  to  keep  Si  away 

from  there." 

"I  knows  it,  Brudder  T ;  I  knows  it.  I 

keeps  a  clos'  han'  on  Si.  K got  away  from 

me  by  gwine  off  to  odder  place  to  work  an'  git- 
tin'  in  bad  company.  He  went  down  to  

and  work  all  season,  an'  den  had  lawsuit,  an*  didn' 
get  a  third  o'  hes  wages.  Yes,  sah." 

"  Well ;  now  keep  Si  away.  That  so-called 
'  night-school '  was  just  a  trick  to  ruin  the  boys. 
Keep  him  away  from  those  women." 

"  I  does ;  only  wen  he's  dar  wid  odder  young 
folks  I  can'  help  dat.  I  tole  'em  to  keep  away 
from  de  'night-school';  'er  was  no  p'int  in  hes 
gwine  to  school  to  a  young  lady  as  didn'  know  as 
much  as  he  do.  An'  he  say  he  done  hired  her 
an'  paid  her,  an'  he  didn'  like  to  'scharge  her  now. 
Yes,  sah." 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  IQI 

A   NIGHT'S   EXPERIENCE. 

Sunday,  August  10. — I  supposed  the  rain  last 
night  had  put  an  end  to  the  exhibition  of  the 
school — a  private  one — which  was  appointed  for 
eight  o'clock.  Went  to  bed  at  nine.  About  ten 
o'clock  I  was  roused  from  sleep  by  a  voice :  "  Fe- 
licity Wright !  Felicity  Wright ! " 

I  went  to  the  door  and  inquired  what  was 
wanted. 

Moses  said :  "  Mis'  P sent  me  to  ax  you  to 

come  to  de  exhibition." 

He  (Moses)  had  a  horse  and  buggy  for  my  con- 
veyance, as  I've  learned  this  morning;  but  I  was 
ignorant  of  it  last  night,  for  he  said  naught  of  it. 

I  answered  :  "  Please  tell  Miss  P that  I  am 

sorry  that,  under  the  circumstances,  I  cannot  go." 

After  lying  down  and  courting  sleep  awhile  the 
dogs  began  barking  fiercely,  as  if  some  one  were 
in  the  yard.  Rose  and  looked  out  the  windows, 
but  saw  nothing  amiss.  Retired  again.  No  long 
time  had  passed  when  the  little  cat  jumped  out 
of  a  box  containing  chemicals  in  an  adjoining 
room,  and  ran  around  the  house  as  if  possessed. 
He  had  been  occasionally  acting  thus  for  some 
time.  The  cause  of  it  became  now  evident.  He 


IQ2  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

has  been  stealing  nightly  into  that  box  to  escape 
being  sent  into  the  garret ;  has  slept  on  the  chem- 
icals, which  are  in  wrapped  packages  directly 
over  some  demijohns  of  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids. 
The  fumes  of  the  acids  have  escaped  enough  to 
put  the  "  divvil  "  into  the  kitty-cat. 

He  ran  back  and  forth  for  a  long  time  at  inter- 
vals into  my  bedroom  and  out  again. 

"  Ah  !  if  wife  and  daughter  were  only  at  home. 
They  can  manage  cats  so  much  better  than  I. 
Alas!" 

I  rose  and  shut  the  bedroom  door.  After  a 
time  the  air  was  too  close.  I  rose  and  opened 
the  cloor.  Then,  since  the  cat  was  still  "  obstrop- 
alous,"  I  dressed  myself  and  went  into  the  draw- 
ing room — if  any  room  in  my  cot  may  be  so  called 
— and  proceeded  to  investigate  the  feline  develop- 
ments. Took  a  small  broom,  fearing  I  might  do 
grievous  damage  to  life  and  property  with  a  big 
one,  and  proceeded  to  the  dining  room,  after  clos- 
ing the  bedroom  door  and  opening  the  front  out- 
side door.  In  the  dining  room  found  the  two 
cats — mother  and  child — sitting  demurely  on  the 
floor.  As  soon  as  old  "  Mab  "  saw  the  broom  she 
lighted  through  the  broken  pane  and  was  soon  on 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  193 

the  outside.  Young  "  Frisk,"  possessed,  of  course, 
hied  into  the  parlor.  I  very  sagely  supposed  he 
had  embraced  the  inviting  opportunity  and  had 
gone  out  to  his  mother  by  the  wide  open  door. 

Thinking  myself  now  free  I  sat  down  to  read. 
Becoming  absorbed  in  an  interesting  subject  I 
forgot  all  my  troubles,  and  knew  not  whether  I 
was  in  Jerusalem  or  in  La  Teche.  Perhaps  a  half 
hour  had  elapsed  when  a  faint  scratching  was 
heard  under  the  table  at  which  I  was  sitting. 
"  Can  that  be  a  mouse  ?  What  a  pity  !  These 
cats  are  of  no  use  in  destroying  vermin  ;  they  just 
eat  their  feed  and  loaf."  But  curiosity  led  to  in- 
vestigation, and  behold,  "  Frisk "  is  there  under 
my  table,  gently  pulling  the  papers  to  let  me  know 
I  had  done  him  no  harm.  "  Bewitched  ! "  is  he  ? 
Whack  !  goes  the  broom  ;  rip  !  goes  "  Frisk " 
straight  into  the  bedroom,  for  I  had  once  more 
thrown  open  the  bedroom  door  for  ventilation. 
Now,  it  comes  to  this  :  surrender,  or  fight  it  out 
on  this  line.  Shall  it  be  felicide,  or  homicide? 
The  candle  is  once  more  on  the  floor  in  the  bed- 
room. Experimental  research  reveals  his  majesty 
under  the  bed  in  sovereign  composure.  "Grand, 
gloomy,  and  peculiar  "he  seemed,  like  the  First 


194  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Consul.  How  far  to  his  Waterloo  ?  Here's  at 
him.  And  now,  "  Where's  he  at  ?  "  as  the  school- 
boys say. 

The  bedroom  is  closed  again  with  wise  hind- 
sight, and  candle  on  the  floor  again — after  the 
manner  of  conductors — but  this  time  in  the  parlor. 
Herr  "  Frisk  "  is  happy  under  the  sofa.  A  wave  of 
the  besom,  and — "  Where's  he  at  ?  "  again.  There's 
an  old  oat  sack  that  had  been  used  to  stop  a  hole 
in  the  window  before  the  new  pane  of  glass  was 
put  in.  It  hangs,  partly  so,  in  the  corner,  at  the 
end  of  the  sofa  and  near  the  window.  The  broom- 
handle  is  utilized  and  the  sack  is  punched,  as  we 
used  to  punch  the  corn  sack  to  persuade  the  rats 
to  get  out.  No  discovery.  The  whole  room  is 
searched  and  carefully  examined,  and  there  is  no 
"  Frisk."  He  must  be  bewitched.  He  is  here,  but 
invisible. 

Hold !  there  is  one  spot  untried.  The  sofa  is 
drawn  away ;  a  fold  of  the  sack  is  gently  drawn, 
and  lo !  there  is  "  Frisk,"  quietly  pretending  to 
snooze  between  the  folds,  just  as  if  he  had  never 
been  punched  or  any  way  disturbed.  What  a 
sage  this  cat  must  be.  He  is  worthy  to  be  First 
Consul  of  the  Feline  Republic. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  195 

For  his  dignity's  sake,  and  remembering  the 
high  consideration  wherein  cats  were  held  by  the 
ancient  Egyptians — the  pioneers  of  civilization — 
we  therefore  very  tenderly  applied  the  broom- 
handle,  and  away  goes  "  Frisk,"  striking  himself 
against  every  side  wall  as  a  beetle,  buzzing  blindly 
about  at  night,  beats  against  the  ceiling,  the  wall, 
and  the  floor.  At  length  out  of  the  door  he 
shoots  into  the  moonlight,  not  intending  so  to  do, 
and  now,  at  the  last,  quiet  reigns  again,  and  the 
student  once  more  loses  himself  in  study  and 
writing.  But  alas !  for  human  calculations  ;  after 
some  minutes  "  Frisk  "  is  back,  but  not  inside  now, 
for  the  door  is  shut ;  he  is  at  the  Venetian  blind, 
trying  his  chances  to  invade  our  privacy.  But  he 
is  no  fool.  Having  concluded  that  discretion  is 
the  better  part  of  valor  he  retires  to  meditate,  un- 
der the  sweet  influences  of  the  moon,  new  schemes 
of  dalliance  with  the  tyrant,  who  seems  for  the 
present  to  have  the  better  of  him. 

This  Sabbath  morning,  however,  he  is  meditat- 
ive, and  might  be  taken  for  a  Stoic.  As  for  me, 
I  got  to  sleep  about  4  A.  M.,  had  breakfast  at 
9  A.  M.,  and  now  I  am  cheerful  as  a  lark,  rejoic- 
ing not  in  myself,  but  in  thee,  O  God. 


196  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

ART  AND    CHARITY. 

RUSKIN  says:  "  Fifth  rate,  sixth  rate,  to  a  hun- 
dredth rate  art  is  good.  Art  that  gives  pleasure 
to  anyone  has  a  right  to  exist." 

For  instance:  If  I  can  only  draw  a  duck  that 
looks  as  though  he  waddled  I  may  give  pleasure 
to  the  last  baby  of  our  hostess ;  while  a  flower 
beautifully  drawn  will  give  pleasure  to  her  eldest 
girl,  who  is  just  beginning  to  learn  botany,  and 
it  may  also  be  useful  to  some  man  of  science. 

The  true  outline  of  a  leaf  shown  to  a  child  may 
turn  the  whole  course  of  its  life.  Second  rate  art 
is  useful  to  a  greater  number  of  people  than  even 
first  rate  art ;  there  are  so  few  minds  of  a  high 
enough  order  to  understand  the  highest  kind  of 
art.  Many  more  people  find  pleasure  in  Copley 
or  Fielding  than  in  Turner. 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  Mr.  Ruskin  felt 
thus  in  the  earlier  stages  of  his  culture.  When 
he  was  denouncing  the  falsehoods,  the  criminal- 
ity of  modern  artists  generally,  it  is  hardly  con- 
ceivable that  he  should  have  been  so  lenient 
toward  bunglers,  pretenders,  and  all  low-grade 
artists. 

But  the  old  man,  the  man   of  experience  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  197 

wisdom,  the  man  who  has  discovered  the  short- 
ness of  human  sight  and  the  greenness  of  human 
virtue — not  soured  himself,  but  sympathetic,  expert 
in  the  eye  that  keeps  watch  o'er  man's  mortality, 
rich  in  all  tenderness,  charity,  and  helpfulness  — 
this  man,  who  is  living  for  the  poor,  discovers 
and  appreciates  the  mission  of  low-grade  art.  He 
speaks  now  like  one  who  "  has  been  with  Christ 
and  learned  of  him."  Before  he  spake  as  one 
who  had  been  at  the  schools,  had  become  a  mag- 
ister,  and  looked  on  mankind  as  pupils,  tyros, 
blunderers,  humbugs. 

Ru skin  ism  was  a  craze  a  few  years  ago.  Plat- 
form and  pulpit  chattered  a  la  Ruskin  in  the 
flowering  period  of  his  genius.  Ruskin,  in  the 
fruitage  of  ripe  wisdom,  attracts  few  and  has  no 
following.  Then  "  Ruskin  clubs,"  "  Ruskin  read- 
ings," critiques  according  to  Ruskin,  illustrations 
and  quotations  from  Ruskin,  were  thick  as  leaves 
in  Vallombrosa.  Ruskinism  was  the  mark  of 
culture,  the  open  sesame  to  the  highest  literary 
circles.  A  metropolitan  preacher  found  that  it 
paid  to  Ruskinize  his  sermons.  Sometimes  the 
gospel  preached  was  a  gospel  according  to  Rus- 
kin. The  lady  or  gentleman  who,  in  the  social 


198  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

circle,  showed  the  greatest  familiarity  with  Mod- 
ern Painters  was  lionized. 


Being  at  a  summer  resort  in  1863,  when  tour- 
ing for  health,  though  I  ought  to  have  been  at 
the  front  with  the  Christian  Commission,  a  cer- 
tain prominent  Baptist  divine  entertained  a  com- 
pany of  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  the  large  and 
tastefully  decorated  drawing-room.  The  little 
church  in  the  village  among  the  mountains  had 
been  recently  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God. 
Our  critic,  in  attending  worship  there,  had  ob- 
served that  the  walls  were  frescoed,  and  that, 
instead  of  real  wooden  frames  to  the  windows, 
were  painted  imitations.  With  the  manner  of 
cultured  pride,  the  Ruskinized  divine,  like  the 
old  Grecian  Protagoras,  swelling,  said,  "  The  man 
that  did  that  ought  to  be  hung  up  to  the  first 
lamp-post." 

Sir  Oracle  seemed  to  carry  everyone  with  him. 
What  an  Apollo  he  was  the  writer  of  this  knew 
not,  only  wondered.  Perhaps  that  disciple,  like 
his  master,  would  now  admit  "  that  art  which 
pleases  anyone  has  a  right  to  exist."  Such  is  the 
force  of  wider  thinking  and  deeper  knowledge. 
Charity  is  the  highest  wisdom. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  199 

August  1 7. — Three  children  baptized,  or  christ- 
ened, to-day — Maud  Amelia  Lyon,  the  pastor's 
daughter,  Louisiana  Bowles,  and  Abraham  Will- 
man.  The  first  was  baptized  by  the  doctor,  the 
other  two  by  the  pastor.  There  were  two  god- 
mothers for  Maud — Mrs.  Kinchin,  of  Franklin, 
and  Miss  Rose  Janez,  of  Baldwin — the  former 
colored  and  the  latter  white.  The  godmother, 
Mrs.  Kinchin,  took  the  child  from  its  mother,  pre- 
sented it  to  the  minister,  and  answered  the  dis- 
ciplinary questions,  the  parents  being  silent. 
When  Louisiana  Bowles  was  baptized  her  mother 
sat  in  the  audience,  the  father  stood  at  the  ex- 
treme limit  of  the  circle  about  the  font,  and  the 
godmother,  a  young  woman  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  took  all  the  responsibility.  This  style  of 
ceremony  seems  a  relic  of  slavery  times,  and  a 
compromise  with  requirements  of  the  new  era  of 
freedom.  White  people  used  to  be  sponsors,  and 
the  ceremony  was  usually  performed  by  Catholic 
priests.  Many  colored  people,  now  Protestants, 
once  the  slaves  of  Catholic  masters,  still  go  to 
the  priests  for  the  christening  of  their  children. 
Freedom  seems  to  them  to  mean  Protestantism  ; 
but  old  faith  and  usage  will  often  assert  its 
power. 


2OO  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

August  20. — My  horse,  Don,  is  a  beautiful 
mustang,  of  light  bay  color.  He  has  to  be  broken 
anew  if  not  used  for  a  day  or  two.  He  has  several 
times  thrown  me,  but  I  like  him,  and  am  not 
afraid  of  him.  I  get  health  from  him. 

Returned  from  Franklin  last  evening — a  horse- 
back trip — dismounted,  and  passed  through  the 
bars.  While  putting  up  the  bars,  holding  the 
bridle-rein  in  my  left  hand,  Don  gave  a  spring 
without  any  provocation,  unless  that  of  a  buzzard 
in  a  tree  near  by,  whirled  himself  about  and  ran, 
dragging  me  with  him.  Holding  to  the  rein, 
struggling  to  my  feet,  I  was  violently  jerked,  and 
lighted  heavily  on  the  heel  of  my  left  foot.  Don 
stopped  at  length  ;  some  one  took  charge  of  him, 
relieving  me.  After  an  hour  found  that  I  was 
lame  and  suffering  acute  pain  in  the  foot ;  applied 
tincture  of  arnica ;  retired  at  the  usual  time ;  in 
the  night  suffered  so  intensely  that  sleep  was  out 
of  the  question,  and  concluded  to  try  the  arnica 
again.  Getting  up  found  myself  slightly  nause- 
ated and  of  unsteady  head.  Reached  the  bureau 
and  sought  to  get  a  match  ;  my  movements  were 
uncertain  as  those  of  a  blind  man  or  of  an  infant. 
Lost  my  consciousness ;  aware  of  falling  on  the 
floor  by  reason  of  the  shock ;  consciousness  be- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2OI 

yond  that  gone.  After  awhile  was  aware  of  feel- 
ing about  in  the  dark  and  trying  to  rise,  at  the 
same  time  wondering  where  I  was  and  how  I 
came  there.  Then  came  the  thought,  "  Who  will 
help  me  ?  "  My  mind  growing  clearer  I  remem- 
bered that  my  wife  and  daughter  were  distant, 
and  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  rouse  Mrs. 
Wright ;  I  must  therefore  help  myself.  It  seemed 
vain  to  struggle,  but  at  length  I  got  my  hands  on 
a  partly  open  door,  and  so  pulled  up  slowly.  Re- 
membering there  was  a  chair  near  by  I  drew  it 
to  me  by  one  hand  and  pulled  myself  up  on  it. 
There  I  sat,  almost  falling  off,  holding  on  by  the 
back  of  the  chair  and  wondering  what  could  be 
done  next.  Finally  I  thought  of  the  camphor,  and 
that  I  could  get  only  by  getting  on  my  feet.  So 
I  threw  up  both  hands  and  caught  by  the  top  of 
the  bureau,  and,  being  familiar  with  the  shape  of 
the  camphor  bottle,  knowing  just  where  it  was,  I 
secured  it,  dropped  down  into  the  chair  again  and 
began  smelling  the  elixir.  Ah,  what  a  relief!  In 
a  few  moments  I  could  light  the  candle  and  pro- 
vide other  things  for  my  comfort. 

Thursday,    August    21. — Rev.    E.    Lyon,    Mrs. 
Lyon,  Miss    Maud   Amelia,   and  the    Hon.   J.   F. 

9* 


2O2  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Patty  called;  were  present   at   evening  worship, 
Brother  Patty  leading  in  our  prayers. 

August  28. — The  execution  of  a  Negro  for 
murder  in  Franklin  to-day.  The  case  was  a  plain 
one ;  the  murder  was  confessed  ;  it  grew  out  of 
gambling;  the  murderer  surrendered  himself;  he 
was  supremely  happy  despite  his  guilt.  He  said 
that  when  the  drop  should  fall  he  would  fall 
into  the  arms  of  Jesus.  Perhaps  he  is  mistaken. 
But  how  transcendent,  how  marvelous  the  power 
resident  in  man  to  make  a  triumph  and  a  glory 
out  of  misfortune  and  disgrace.  Indomitable 
spirit  of  man  !  Thou  art  a  spark  of  the  eternal 
fire. 


SOMETHING    FOUND. 

To  Night,  September  7,  1884. 

THOU  placid  Night !  with  crown  of  countless  gems 
Dost  sit  majestical  on  Nature's  throne, 
And  with  the  imperial  Lord  of  clay  divid'st 
The  gorgeous  empire  of  revolving  worlds. 

The  deep, 

My  homage  is  to  thee.     Spellbound  I  own 
The  witchery  of  thy  starlit  face,  the  awe 
That  steals  from  thy  unfathomed  mystery, 
The  joy  of  contemplation  too  profound 

For  sleep. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  203 

Where  'gins  thy  realm  ?    What  term  to  thy  domain  ? 
What  waveless  sea  doth  lap  thy  silent  shores  ? 
Hath  time  the  tireless  wing  to  bear  him  o'er 
The  trackless  wild  and  find  where  thou  art  not? 

Jet  queen  ! 

Meridians  mark  thee  not,  nor  poles,  nor  zones ; 
Hyperbolas  are  native  to  thy  breast, 
And  infinites  the  measure  of  thine  arms. 
Nor  round,  nor  square,  nor  up  nor  down  in  thee 

Are  seen. 

Tore  thee  what  was  ?     In  thee  God  slept ;  and  not 
One  ray  of  light,  one  drop  of  dew,  one  dot 
Of  molecule  or  atom  swung  or  shot* 
It's  fiery  path,  elliptical,  athwart 

Thy  depths. 

No  angel's  trumpet  waked  thy  wilderness, 
No  seraph's  wing  thy  vastness  soared,  nor  moved 
A  spirit  through  thy  heart,  nor  stirred  one  thought  : 
But  God,  in  self-sufficient  slumber,  filled 

Thy  breadths. 

O  Night !  the  sleep  of  God  thou  art,  and  thou 
The  vacancy  of  light  no  more.     When  God 
Aroused  and  breathed  creative  breath  and  said, 
"  Let  there  be  light !  "  thy  realm  thenceforth  was  rent 

And  blessed. 

Streamed  forth  the  glory,  waked  the  form  of  life 
Of  useful  plant  and  beauteous  flower,  and  grace 
And  power  and  dignity  of  animal 
And  man.     O  beauteous  realm  inclosed,  by  thee 

Caressed  ! 


LET  the  evening  be  dreary 
That  morning  be  cheery  ; 
There's  no  bloom  of  beauty 
But  it's  rooted  in  duty. 


2O4  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

BIRTHDAY. 

September  8,  1884. 

MY  soul  ! 
Thou  art  to-day 
Upon  the  way 

To  glory. 

Thou,  spark 
Of  primal  fire, 
Dost  still  aspire 

To  glory. 

*For  five 
And  fifty  years 
Of  smiles  and  tears — 
To  glory. 

Hie  on  ! 

The  way  is  straight ; 
O  do  not  wait ! — 

To  glory. 


THE  following  is  found  in  Blackwood's  Magazine, 
March,  1870,  and  is  published  as  a  Negro  compo- 
sition issuing  from  South  Carolina.  It  has  the 
aroma  of  white  blood,  is  interesting  as  a  phenom- 
enon, and  just  the  thing  to  be  accepted  as  genuine 
by  a  senile  monthly  on  a  foreign  shore  : 

"  We's  be  nearer  to  the  Lord 
Den  de  white  folks,  and  dey  knows  it ; 

See  de  glory-gate  unbarred — 

Walk  in,  darkeys,  past  de  guard  ! 
Bet  yer  a  dollar  he  won't  close  it. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2O5 

"  Walk  in,  darkeys,  troo  cle  gate : 

Hark  !  de  kuller'd  angels  holler  ; 
Go  'way,  white  folks,  you're  too  late  ! 
We's  the  winning  kuller !  wait 

Tillde  trumpet  blows  to  foller! 

"  Halleloojah  !  tanks  to  praise  ! 

Long  enuff  we've  borne  our  crosses  ; 
Now  we's  cle  sooperior  race, 
And,  wid  Gorramighty's  grace, 

We'se  going  to  hebben  afo'  de  bosses  ! " 


PRAISE. 
September  15. 

AWAKE,  my  soul !  and  sing  his  praise 
Who  crowds  with  blessings  all  thy  days. 
He  gives  thee  health  with  morning  light, 
And  brings  thee  rest  with  shades  of  night. 

'Tis  he  thy  hands  with  work  employs, 
Tis  he  thy  bosom  fills  with  joys ; 
All  sweets  of  sense  doth  he  bestow, 
And  mental  treasures  from  him  flow. 

When  worldly  cares  thy  soul  oppress, 
When  crucial  pains  thy  frame  distress, 
Who  takes  the  cut  and  gash  of  woe, 
And  bears  thee  up  his  grace  to  show  ? 

When  sickness  comes  with  blighting  breath, 
And  nigh  thee  stands  the  form  of  death, 
Who  plucks  the  sting  of  parting  pain 
And  calls  to  camp  th'  angelic  train  ? 

O  Christ,  my  Lord  !  soul-healer  thou  ! 
O  loving  Fount  of  every  good  ! 
Thy  praise  shall  all  my  powers  employ, 
And  thou  forever  be  my  joy. 


2O6  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

October  i. — In  the  canefields  and  the  corn- 
fields, where  the  ground  has  been  cultivated,  is 
the  greatest  profusion  of  wild  beauty  in  August 
and  September.  Not  to  mention  other  things, 
there  are  two  varieties  of  convolvulus — one  like 
the  common  sort  grown  by  cottages  in  the  North, 
with  large  blooms  of  purple,  pink,  white,  or 
mixed ;  the  other  has  a  globe  of  flowerets  that 
open  one  at  a  time,  each  small  as  a  blue- 
bell and  of  like  color,  except  that  the  calyx — 
which  is  adherent  —  is  a  very  light  blue. 
These  exquisite  little  things  cover  the  long  mili- 
tary ranks  of  corn  and  sugar  cane.  They  are 
known  to  the  workmen  as  "  tie  vines,"  and  have 
to  be  removed  from  the  stalks  of  cane  lest  they 
suffocate  it. 


GLORIES. 

"GLORIES,"  ye  are  my  flowers 

To  morning  and  to  man  ; 
A  gladness  to  the  hours, 
A  smile  upon  the  land. 
O,  cups  of  joy ! 
There's  no  alloy 
In  the  fleet 
Dewy  sweet 
Of  your  lips. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  2QJ 

Whence  come  ye,  pretty  ones  ? 

Did  pearls  take  root  and  grow? 
Do  diamonds  spring  in  zones 
Beneath,  and  in  ye  blow? 
O,  cups  of  joy  ! 
There's  no  alloy 
In  the  smart 
Of  the  heart 
That  looks  on  ye. 

Mayhap  the  hidden  power 
That  quickens  the  abyss 
Hath  shed  an  Iris  shower 
Of  tears  that  utter  bliss. 
O,  cups  of  joy ! 
There's  no  alloy 
In  rapture  fine 
'Twixt  soul  of  mine 
And  thine. 

I  have  't.     On  morning  ray 

Of  yon  imperial  sun 
Ye  slid  into  our  day, 

And  made  the  glory  one. 
O,  cups  of  joy ! 
There's  no  alloy 
In  thoughts  of  love 
Shot  from  above 
In  your  glance. 

December  21. — Solstice.  Thank  God  that  after 
to-night  the  days  lengthen,  I  hope,  for  an  eternal 
day.  Never  did  like  night. 

Emperor  Williams,  a  genuine  black  man, 
preached  to-day.  His  text  was  Luke  xxiii,  42  : 
"  Lord,  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy 


2O8  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

kingdom."  The  preacher  expatiated  on  the  mar- 
velous faith  of  "  the  thief  on  the  cross  "—as  great, 
in  the  circumstances,  as  that  of  Abraham  or  Job. 

His  talk  to  the  Sunday  school  was  character- 
istic. 

Some  one,  in  days  of  old,  offered  his  (Will- 
iams') master  five  thousand  dollars  for  him,  but 
without  avail.  "  I  wuz  a  mechanic,  a  fust  rate  A 
No.  i  workman,  ef  I  am  a  poh  preacher.  I'se 
been  three  months  an'  two  days  'thout  tobacco, 
an'  I  don't  think  I'll  use  it  any  moh.  I  weighs 
moh'n  I  ever  did  befoh.  The  bishops  an'  doctors 
of  divinity  often  asked  me  to  quit  tobacco,  but  I 
said  I'd  chew  an'  spit  jes'  as  long  's  I  pleased. 
But  the  cholera  tuk  hole  of  me  last  fall,  an'  that 
persuaded  me  to  quit. 

"  I  wuz  not,  in  my  young  days,  in  the  habit  of 
takin'  drams.  But  once  in  New  Orleans  I  went 
with  some  young  men,  of  a  Sunday,  on  an  excur- 
sion to  Lake  Pontchartrain.  There  came  up  a 
shower,  and,  getting  wet,  we  went  into  a  house  by 
the  roadside  to  take  refreshments.  I  did  not  pur- 
pose drinking,  but  they  shamed  me  into  it,  and,  so 
as  to  be  a  man,  I  tuk  two  drams. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  209 

"  As  we  walked  'long  the  shell  road  by  the  bor- 
der of  the  canal  the  road  began  to  swell  an'  roll, 
an'  they  tole  me  I  wuz  drunk.  I  said,  '  No,  I 
ain't;'  an'  to  prove  it  I  mounted  the  rail  between 
the  road  and  the  canal  an'  walked  on  it.  But  the 
plaguey  road  rolled  wuss  'n  ever,  an'  I  fell  over 
into  the  canal,  as  it  happened,  by  the  side  of  a 
termendius  alligator.  He  jes'  flopped  an'  I  flopped, 
an'  to  save  my  head  I  jes'  made  fur  the  other  side 
of  the  canal.  The  alligator  wuz  so  astonished  he 
clar  disappeared.  I  done  quit  drinkin'  after  that. 
Didn't  like  the  company. 

"  When  a  young  man  I  wuz  a  fine  dancer.  One 
time  when  performin'  a  mazourka,  whirlin'  roun' 
with  my  pardner — jes'  at  the  head  of  an  open 
stairway — she  let  go  o'  me,  an'  away  I  went, 
pell-mell,  down  to  the  lower  flo' ;  an'  that  ended 
my  dancin'. 

"  In  1852,  after  the  Dred  Scott  decision,  my  mas- 
ter said  one  day, '  Emp.,  you're  nuthin'  but  a  chat- 
tel ;  no  more  'n  a  mule.'  I  jes'  wouldn'  stan'  that, 
an'  we  cum  together — fisty-cuff  an'  tussel  it  wuz, 
an'  we  cum  nigh  goin'  to  judgmen*  that  day.  But, 
ye  better  believe  it,  that  same  man,  three  weeks 
after,  gave  me  my  papers,  an'  sho'  I  wuz  free." 


210  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

The  Sunday  school  took  the  annual  collection 
for  the  Freedmen's  Aid.  Amount,  twenty  dollars. 

"The  Little  Soldiers"  reported  the  largest 
amount,  and  received  a  prize  banner.  Simie  Hirst 
brought  in  the  largest  individual  amount,  and  re- 
ceived a  gold  medal. 

Thermometer  76°. 

Sunday,  January  10,  1886. — During  the  past 
year — the  heat  of  summer  and  the  excessive  rains, 
the  toil  and  tribulation  of  poverty,  the  neglect  of 
friends,  the  malice  of  enemies,  the  ingratitude  of 
beneficiaries,  the  failure  of  plans,  the  disappoint- 
ment of  hopes — all  these  things  have  crowded  our 
path  and  checkered  the  year ;  but  in  them  all  the 
Lord  has  been  with  us.  "  The  horse  and  his  rider 
have  been  thrown  into  the  sea." 

We  have  left  our  home  and  taken  dwelling  in 
the  Boarding  Hall.  We  have  but  few  boarders, 
and  live  in  hope. 

As  to  the  results  of  our  labor,  there  are  some. 
Some  ignorant  boys  and  girls  have  become  intel- 
ligent ;  some  teachers  and  preachers  have  been 
trained ;  the  tone  of  morals  about  us  is  much  im- 
proved. Whether  the  results  are  commensurate 
with  the  labor,  whether  they  should  not  have  been 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  211 

much   greater,  is  a  question   we   cannot    answer. 
It  is  left  to  the  divine  judgment. 

died  .  .  .  days  ago.      He  might  have  been 

entitled  "Satan's  Prime  Minister." 

O R is  an  African  youth,  about  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  who  thinks  he  has  all  the  wis- 
dom of  the  ages  in  his  head.  Aristotle  is  small 
fry  in  comparison.  He  is  a  disciple  of  Robert 
Ingersoll.  He  does  not  recognize  any  authority 
but  that  of  O —  -  R .  He  tried  being  a  stu- 
dent in  this  Seminary,  but  found  it  necessary  to 
"emancipate  himself." 

"  Eddication  "  does  wonders. 

Now  and  then,  in  front  of  an  assembly  of  teach- 
ers and  scholars,  intermingled  with  some  who 
have  had  no  opportunities,  there  suddenly  bobs 
up  a  frowsly  specimen  of  an  ex-slave  who  glories 
in  having  acquired  the  power  to  read  and  write : 
"  Some  ob  ye  what  ain't  eddicated  jes'  haf  ter  take 
a  back  seat  dese  days.  Reason  why  I'se  noticed 
by  de  white  folks  an'  got  an  ofHs,  kase  I'se 
eddicated.  I  tells  ye,  folks,  ye's  dpne  got  ter  be 
eddicated  ef  yer  wants  to  be  'spected  an'  to  git  a 
good  livin'." 


212  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

January  n. — One  woman,  a  church  member, 
lives  with  a  man  who  is  of  no  church,  in  a  state 
of  concubinage.  The  woman's  former  husband 
was  a  soldier  in  the  late  war,  and  she  is  an  appli- 
cant for  a  pension.  She  therefore  declines  to  be 
married  lest  she  lose  her  chance  for  a  pension. 
The  church  tolerates;  Uncle  Sam  will  probably 
do  the  same. 

January  18. — Many  decline  entering  our  Board- 
ing Hall  because  we  require  the  work  of  the  house 
to  be  done  by  the  boarders.  They  are  afraid  of 
the  ghost  of  slavery ;  but  that  ghost  will  be  laid 
in  a  year,  and  they  will  come. 

January  25. — Telegram  Saturday,  23,  from  Dr. 
Hartzell,  saying,  "We  shall  arrive  Monday  at 
noon."  The  "  we "  included,  besides  himself, 
Bishop  Bowman  and  Dr.  Albert.  Bishop  Bow- 
man preached  this  p.  M.  and  dedicated  the  chapel 
to  the  service  of  Almighty  God.  His  showing 
that  educated  labor  is  held  to  be  worth  twenty 
per  cent  more  than  uneducated  produced  a  pro- 
found impression. 

January  31. — To-day  the  sermon  contained  an 
exhortation  to  be  more  watchful  of  the  moral  and 
religious  training  of  the  children,  to  bring  them 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  213 

to  church  and  to  Sunday  school.  One  of  the 
leading  brethren — a  very  good  man,  too — in  mak- 
ing an  exhortation,  said,  "  Somehow  it  seems  as 
ef,  when  de  chil'un  goes  to  Sunday  school,  they 
gits  away  from  us ;  they's  too  smart  for  us ;  they's 
goin'  to  hell." 

"  Too  smart  for  us  !"  That  is  the  truth.  Par- 
ents who  have  no  parental  government,  who 
really  have  no  home  for  their  children,  such  see 
the  young  going  in  platoons  to  destruction. 
Their  best  escape  and  safeguard  is  inside  the 
Christian  school. 

February  20. — Brother  D ,  the  new  pastor, 

preached  well.  Among  other  good  things  he 
said,  "In  order  to  do  well  the  Lord's  work  I 
must  keep  Morris  Dyer  down,  and  when  he  is 
down  put  my  foot  on  him,  so  that  the  Lord  may 
have  his  way  and  use  me  for  it." 

We  elected  Mrs.  Dyer  superintendent  of  the 

Sunday  school.  Brother  D appointed  a 

teachers'  meeting  for  Thursday  night  next  at  the 
close  of  the  prayer  meeting.  If  we  should  suc- 
ceed in  having  a  "  teachers'  meeting  "  it  will  be 
the  first  time  in  the  history  of  this  Sunday  school. 

We   are   solving  the   problem   of  a    boarding- 


214  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

house — the  most  hazardous  of  our  experiments. 
We  put  board  nominally  at  ten  dollars  per  month. 
We  allow  those  who  work  one  hour  per  day  a 
credit  of  three  dollars  per  month,  and  those  who 
work  two  hours  per  day  receive  a  proportionate 
credit.*  Very  small  children,  who  are  cared  for 
by  older  ones,  are  charged  only  three  dollars 
cash.  The  people  are  exceedingly  poor.  We 
are  feeling  our  way  along.  They  who  are  not  in 
the  extreme  of  poverty  are  yet  unused  to  their 
children  being  sent  away  from  home.  If  they 
send  them  to  us  they  come  often  to  visit  and  stop 
a  day,  and  we  make  no  charge  for  that  day's 
board.  Twenty-five  dollars  is  the  entire  amount 
of  cash  received  by  the  boarding  department  this 
winter  to  date.  The  remainder  paid  is  work.  We 
could  not  run  it  at  all  if  it  were  not  for  the  avails 
of  the  land.  One  of  our  household  has  been  re- 
cently converted,  and  one  more  is  seeking  a  relig- 
ious experience.  We  are  praying  that  all  may  be 
saved.  I  wish  we  could  witness  deeper  thought- 
fulness  and  spirituality  in  our  meetings.  There 
is  a  prevalent  shallowness  in  religious  experience. 
Night  school  now ;  two  hours  per  night. 

*  This  was  after  substituted  by  the  rule  that  every  one  must  work 
two  hours  per  day,  and  should  receive  five  dollars  per  month  credit. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  215 

February  24. — Sabbath  observance  is  not  pain- 
fully exact  in  this  country.  Many  seem  not  to 
understand  us  when  we  refuse  to  do  business  on 
the  Lord's  Day.  This  morning  a  man  came  to 
me,  while  on  the  way  to  the  Sunday  school,  and 
inquired  about  the  rent  of  a  house.  He  was 
told  to  come  next  day,  as  I  did  not  do  business 
on  the  Lord's  Day.  When  this  incident  was  con- 
joined with  a  sermon  preached  some  two  or  three 
weeks  ago — in  which  we  held  that  nations  that 
have  been  destroyed  were  so  dealt  with  as  pun- 
ishment for  disobeying  God's  commands — the 
impression  was  made  and  maliciously  fostered  by 
some  persons  that  we  were  making  war  on  the 
"  'Cadians."  These  are  an  innocent  and  unfortu- 
nate people  who  occupy  extensive  regions  here, 
and  were  originally  colonists  from  "  Acadia,"  now 
Nova  Scotia.  We've  been  glad  to  learn  of  them, 
and  to  do  them  good  in  some  instances  ;  never 
dreamed  of  ill-will  toward  them. 

February  28. — Had  a  pleasant  talk  this  p.  M. 
with  Leonard,  Edward,  Dan,  Nehemiah,  and 
Madison,  about  going  to  Africa  as  missionaries. 
Some  of  them,  particularly  Edward,  Nehemiah, 
and  Madison — nay,  even  Dan — seemed  much  in- 


2l6  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

terested.  They  would  go  with  me.  I  wish  I  had 
the  means  to  go  and  found  a  mission  in  the  lower 
valley  of  the  Niger.  If  the  Lord  would  give  the 
means  I  would  go  at  once.  One  of  the  boys 
said,  "  Doctor,  why  don't  you  go?"  I  answered, 
"  For  lack  of  means."  Perhaps  some  time  I 
should  be  able. 

The  "teachers'  meeting"  appointed  for  last 
Thursday  night  failed  from  lack  of  teachers. 
Another  appointment  was  made  for  Saturday, 
i  P.  M.,  and  that  failed.  Now  it  is  to  be  tried  for 
Wednesday  next,  4  p.  M. 

Do  I  love  thee,  my  Lord,  more  than  these  my 
brethren  ?  I  can  see  that  they  lack  in  depth  of 
experience  and  fervency  of  piety.  But  do  I  love 
more  than  they  ?  If  I  do  not  I  am  more  at  fault 
than  they.  To  be  a  very  deep  and  earnest  Chris- 
tian is  to  be  a  cultured  person,  or  the  child  of 
one  such.  This  I  have  learned.  Those  who 
have  not  inherited  the  tendencies  to  culture,  and 
have  as  yet  had  little  or  no  opportunity  to  ac- 
quire it,  may  have,  and  often  do  have,  great  sin- 
cerity of  piety,  but  the  depth,  the  earnestness,  the 
consistency  are  not  there. 


AND  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  217 

The  totally  uneducated  man  displays  a  lack  of 
moral  sense.  One  of  the  ordinary  things  among 
them  is  for  a  person  to  contract,  to-day,  to  work 
for  you,  and  to-morrow  to  contract  with  another, 
abandoning  you  without  notice  or  excuse.  When 
you  meet  him  next  time  he  seems  not  conscious 
of  a  broken  obligation,  does  not  offer  an  explana- 
tion, nor  seem  to  dream  that  you  could  expect 
one. 

To  abandon  one  man  or  woman  and  take  an- 
other seems  just  the  thing,  and  he  that  calls  it 
in  question  speaks  an  unknown  tongue.  The 
younger  generation  are  taking  higher  ground. 

Some  fine  instances  of  domestic  virtue  and 
Christian  conscientiousness  are  found  among  the 
parents.  Some  of  the  young  men  and  women  are 
beautiful  examples  of  purity,  modesty,  and  up- 
ward aspirations. 

To  solve  the  problem  of  moral  purity  for  the 
colored  race  involves  the  cooperation  of  the  white 
race.  Said  a  white  citizen  of  Louisiana,  an  estab- 
lished and  well-known  man,  "  There  is  no  saving 
the  men  of  the  white  race  in  this  country  until 
you  first  save  the  women  of  the  colored  race." 

God  knows  how  to  balance  the  guilt  of  the  past, 
10 


2l8  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

and  how  to  secure  cooperation  in  habilitating  the 
virtues  of  the  future. 

An  invitation  was  extended  to  the  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union  of—  —  to  assist  in 
organizing  a  Women's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  among  the  colored  people.  No  response. 
After  a  lapse  of  some  time  there  came  an  invita- 
tion to  the  ladies  of  my  house  to  attend  a  bal 

masque  in .     We  know  not  the  source  of  the 

invitation,  and  care  not  to  know.  We  only  pray 
that  God  may  give  our  friends — and  they  are  our 
friends — the  love  of  better  things. 

March  3. — L preached  to-day  from  "It  is 

finished."  He  is  the  best  sermonizer  among  the 
young  colored  men  of  this  part  of  the  State,  so 
far  as  I  know.  I  pray  the  Lord  to  cure  his  self- 
conceit. 


VIVENS,  MORIENS. 

March  7. 

I  AM  dying,  daily  dying. 
Low  life's  fire  is  burning  ; 

Just  a  glow, 

Fitful,  slow, 

Still  doth  show 
The  breath  of  God  is  blowing 

On  the  coals. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2 19 

I  am  passing,  swiftly  passing, 
Down  life's  turbulent  stream. 

Just  a  throw 

Of  the  billow 

And  a  throe — 
And  I'll  be  happy  floating 

On  the  sea. 


SUFFERING. 

SUFFERING  is  the  badge  of  sainthood.  Suffering 
is  a  gift  from  God.  It  is  the  lancet  to  an  ulcer, 
the  twelve  labors  that  make  a  god  of  Hercules, 
the  cross  that  perfects  Jesus.  Teach  me,  eternal 
Spirit,  to  make  it  welcome.  O  let  me  not  rebel  ! 

March  26. — Friends  from  New  York  called  to- 
day. They  manifested  a  lively  sympathy.  They 
brought  us  a  gift  of  sunshine.  Not  many  sun- 
beams come. 

One  of  the  girls  to-day  was  found  weeping. 
Said  she  should  have  to  leave  the  school.  We 
knew  no  reason  for  it ;  she  had  maintained  a 
good  standing.  The  matter  seemed  mysterious, 
but  at  length  we  learned  that  the  trouble  was  a 
color  line.  This  girl  was  fair.  The  black  ones 
envied  her,  and  persecuted  her  in  various  annoy- 


22O  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

ing  ways.  She  retorted  by  calling  them  "  nig- 
gers," and  they  paid  her  with  blows.  The  girls 
are  belligerent.  They  know  how  to  use  their 
fists.  We  found  a  way  to  settle  the  business 
quickly.  Our  general  principle  of  administration 
— simple  and  safe  and  effective — is  that  stu- 
dents are  not  to  settle  their  own  grievances. 
They  are  to  come  always  to  the  teachers.  This 
applies  to  all,  older  or  younger,  male  or  female. 

March  28. — He  that  seeketh  wealth  seeketh  a 
snare.  Worldly  prosperity  is  nearly  always  moral 
ruin. 

Hebrews  xii,  2  :  "  Who  for  the  joy  that  was  set 
before  him  endured  the  cross,  despising  the 
shame."  Strike  out  "  for,"  insert  "instead  of," 
and  you  have  the  meaning  of  the  writer. 


A   STRUGGLE    UPWARD. 


"HE  ain't  got  nothin'  but  seminary  religion," 
and  the  old  sister's  eyes  filled  as  they  followed 
him  up  the  aisle,  and  her  white  turban  bowed  as 
he  knelt  at  the  communion  table.  Her  black  vel- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  221 

vet  cheek  rested  upon  her  hand  in  reverent  atti- 
tude, but  her  eyes  still  clung  to  her  boy.  She 
held  her  breath  as  he  took  the  bread  and  wine, 
and  drew  a  sigh  of  relief  when  nothing  unusual 
happened.  His  eyes,  full  of  peace  and  content, 
met  her  troubled  ones  a  moment  when  he  rose, 
and  then  he  was  lost  in  the  crowded  church. 
She  forgot  her  trouble  for  a  moment  as  after 
service  she  listened  to  the  admiring  crowd  around 
him. 

"  Say,  June,  is  you  really  gwine  to  be  graduated 
nex'  year  ?  " 

"  What's  dat  wite  ribbon  fur  ?  " 

"  Has  you  really  got  religion  ?" 

"  You  been  baptized,  June  ?  " 

"  I  wuz  jes'  gwine  ter  ax  dat  question  myself," 
and  the  pastor  crowded  his  way  through  and  took 
Junius's  hand  in  both  of  his.  "  I'se  mighty  proud 
to  see  yer  at  de  Lawd's  table  dis  mawnin',  an'  I 
laid  out  ter  see  ef  yer'd  been  baptized." 

Junius's  face  clouded.  "  Father  don't  want  me 
to  be  baptized  at  present ;  I  shall  return  to  the 
school  in  the  fall." 

"  Dat  doan  make  no  diffrunce,  not  de  leas'  bit. 
Yer  needs  ter  be  baptised  jes'  de  same.  I'll 


222  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

come  aroun'  dis   evenin'  an'   hear   how  yer  came 
through,  an'  I'll  hab  a  talk  wld  yer  father." 

Junius  withdrew  his  hand,  turned  away  and 
walked  silently  beside  his  mother. 

"June,"  she  said,  presently,  "You  mustn't  think 
hard  o'  me  'bout  bein'  baptized  ;  ef  you  thinks  you 
got  religion  I  won't  hinder." 

"  Now,  mother,  we  will  drop  the  subject.  I  shall 
not  join. the  church  or  be  baptized  this  summer, 
since  you  and  father  object ;  but  let  us  have 
peace." 

Nevertheless  there  was  not  peace,  and  when 
he  arose  in  church  and  testified  in  these  words, 
"  I  am  trusting  in  my  Saviour,  who  forgives  my 
sins  ;  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  be  faithful,"  a  ripple 
of  astonishment  spread  over  the  congregation. 

As  the  brothers  and  sisters  gathered  around 
him  after  service  they  exhorted  him  to  tell  his  ex- 
perience, and  how  he  came  through,  saying  that 
they  would  gladly  stay  an  hour  to  listen.  But  he 
excused  himself  and  went  out  into  the  night  alone. 
Halfway  home  the  pastor  overtook  him. 

"  Brudder  June,  O,  Brudder  June,  wait ;  tell  me, 
my  dear  boy,  has  you  been  to  hell  ?  " 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  223 

"  No,  thank  God,  and  I  hope  I  never  may." 

"  But,     my     brudder,    you     can't    get    religion 

widout  gwine  to  hell  an'  habbin'  yer  chains  struck 

off." 

Junius  was  silent. 

"  Has  yer  been  to  heaven,  brudder?  " 

"  No,  but  I  hope  to  go  in  the  future." 

"  You  mus'  go  now,  deed  you  mus' ;  you  can't 

get  true  religion  'less  you  do." 
Again  Junius  was  silent. 

"  Brudder  June,  I  doan  think  you  oughter  go  to 
de  Lawd's  table  'less  you  got  true  religion." 

Junius  turned  and  faced  him. 

"The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  forgiven  my  sins, 
and  I  love  him,  and  have  a  right  at  his  table." 

The  pastor  sighed,  and  dropped  the  attack  for 
the  night  only  to  renew  it  the  next  chance. 

The  majority  of  the  people  as  the  weeks  went 
by  dropped  the  subject,  and,  although  unconvinced, 
were  silent.  But  some  of  the  deacons  could  not 
reconcile  their  consciences  to  his  partaking  of 
the  sacrament.  They  reasoned  thus:  "  Ef  he's  a 
Christian  he  oughter  be  baptized,  an'  ef  he  ain't 
he  oughtn't  to  take  sacrament." 


224  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Nevertheless  the  tender-hearted  pastor  could 
not  refuse  the  kneeling  boy  and  pass  him  by. 
Often  when  he  gave  him  the  bread  and  wine  a 
big  tear  would  fall  on  the  boy's  head,  and  the  old 
man's  voice  would  break  on  the  customary  words, 
"  May  hit  preserve  yer  soul  an'  body  to  everlastin' 
life." 

The  pastor's  heart  yearned  over  this,  the  jewel 
of  his  flock,  the  one  educated  boy  in  the  little  vil- 
lage. Many  times  he  pleaded  with  the  Lord  "  To 
sen'  dat  boy  home  a  Christian  an'  prepare  him  to 
fill  de  place  of  yer  unprofitable  servant."  When 
Junius  had,  the  first  Sunday  on  his  return  from 
school,  knelt  at  the  communion  table,  the  pastor's 
joy  knew  no  bounds.  But  now  he  felt  that  he  had 
on  his  hands  a  problem  greater  than  he  could 
manage. 

He  had  first  thought  that  the  boy  would  not 
relate  his  experience,  through  pride  in  his  educa- 
tion, and  a  desire  to  hold  himself  above  his  people, 
but  as  time  passed  he  saw  that  could  not  be,  and 
he  began  to  fear  that  Junius  had  no  experience. 
His  heart  shook  within  him  as  he  thought  of 
giving  sacrament  to  such  a  hypocrite.  Therefore 
he  resolved  not  to  do  it  again,  but  when  he  spoke 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  225 

to  Junius  about  it  the  boy  looked  him  straight  in 
the  face  and  said,  "In  what  am  I  a  hypocrite? 
What  do  I  profess  that  I  do  not  live  up  to  ?  " 

When  next  communion  Sunday  came  the  boy 
went  forward  ;  the  pastor  dared  not  refuse. 

Meanwhile  Junius  was  not  idle.  He  formed  a 
temperance  society  among  the  young  people,  and 
held  weekly  meetings  in  the  church,  holding  forth 
so  eloquently  upon  such  occasions  that  the  village 
was  stirred,  and  his  parents  elated  beyond  words. 
He  organized  a  literary  club  among  the  most  in- 
telligent boys  and  girls,  and,  holding  meetings 
from  house  to  house,  carried  joy  with  him. 

But  in  the  boy's  heart  was  an  ache  that  no 
one  guessed.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to  take  a  new 
step,  and  all  alone  to  face  your  own  people  and 
friends,  particularly  upon  a  question  of  religion. 

When  he  thought  of  the  Saturday  afternoon 
meeting  in  which  he  gave  his  heart  to  the  Saviour 
peace  would  return,  and  he  would  rest  content 
until  another  wave  struck  him,  and  then  the  un- 
rest would  return. 


One  great  cause  of  trouble  was  a  schoolmate, 
Adele  Johnson.     She  accepted  Christ  in  the  same 

10* 


226  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

quiet,  trusting  way,  but  on  reaching  home  she, 
with  a  woman's  quick  tact,  rose  to  the  occasion, 
and  wonderful  indeed  was  the  experience  related. 
It  abounded  in  thrilling  scenes,  such  as  hanging 
over  hell  on  a  cobweb,  and  closed  with  such  a 
realistic  description  of  her  entrance  into  heaven 
that  the  whole  church  swayed  with  emotion  and 
shouted  for  joy. 

Then  came  the  baptism,  and  Adele,  in  white 
robes,  went  singing  into  the  river,  and  was  borne 
out  in  a  death-like  trance  amid  the  shouts  of  the 
sisters. 

Think  you  there  was  no  cross  in  this  for  the 
boy  who  had  all  his  life  looked  forward  to  it  and 
was  now  left  out  ?  His  temperance  and  literary 
work,  yea,  even  his  graduation  was  swallowed  up, 
and  doubt  and  misery  held  sway  until  a  letter 
from  one  of  his  teachers  cheered  him  a  bit  and 
helped  him  to  hold  on.  But  a  new  resolution 
formed  in  his  heart.  He  would  get  the  religion 
of  his  fathers. 

One  Sunday  night  he  spoke  bravely  in  his  own 
home  church  of  the  hope  that  was  in  him,  and  the 
next  Thursday  night  in  his  school  chapel  he  took 
his  seat  with  the  unsaved.  At  the  first  invitation  to 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  22/ 

go  forward  he  knelt  at  the  altar,  but  while  others 
found  peace  he  was  still  there. 

Weeks  passed.  At  last  a  kindly  soul  detained 
him  after  meeting,  and,  with  much  persuasion, 
drew  from  him  the  story  of  the  whole  summer's 
trouble  in  one  short  sentence  :  "  I  haven't  back- 
slid ;  I  want  religion  like  my  folks  have."  After 
an  hour  of  Bible  reading  and  prayer  Junius,  once 
more  convinced  of  the  correctness  of  his  position, 
took  his  place  again  among  the  Christians.  But 
when  he  returns  home  ? 


THE   VOICE. 

THERE  was  once,  in  rehearsing  for  a  concert, 
need  of  a  strong  child  voice,  which  was  found  in 
as  restless  a  piece  of  ebony  as  ever  "  chunked  a 
coon  with  a  brickbat." 

The  voice  suited  to  a  "  T,"  but  the  appurtenances 
were  rather  troublesome.  For  instance  : 

The  little  black  feet  that  ought  to  have  brought 
the  "  Voice  "  to  rehearsal  three  times  a  week  were 
more  often  to  be  seen  swaying  just  above  the  tall 
grass  in  the  front  meadow,  than  dangling  in  front 
of  the  big  arm-chair  in  the  music  room.  Once, 


228  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

indeed,  an  attempt  at  seizure  was  made ;  but 
although  the  little  black  feet  swayed  on  con- 
tentedly until  the  teacher's  hand  was  on  the 
blue  cottonade  shirt-collar,  then  freedom  was 
obtained  with  a  deft  twist ;  the  little  black 
feet  went  twinkling  up  the  dusty  road  beside 
a  swinging  kerosene-can,  and  a  cheery  voice 
floated  back,  "  Mar's  got  ter  hab  dis  yere  culloil 
fo'  dark." 

Hastily  the  teacher  retraced  her  steps  to  be 
greeted  by  six  grinning  sets  of  ivory  belonging  to 
the  rest  of  the  "  company."  The  rehearsal,  un- 
dertaken without  the  aid  of  the  "  Voice,"  pro- 
gressed but  slowly,  until  interrupted  by  a  gentle 
knock  at  the  door,  which,  on  being  opened,  dis- 
closed a  very  complacent  young  gentleman,  cov- 
ered with  dust,  who  smiled  sweetly,  with,  "  Did 
yer  want  me,  Miss  Annie?" 

The  teacher,  with  becoming  patience,  began  all 
over  again,  and  the  house  and  yard  rang  with  the 
echoes  of  that  "  Voice  "  until,  with  hand  to  her 
weary  head,  the  teacher  demanded  diminution. 
This  resulted  in  such  whispered  tones  that 
no  word  in  the  dictionary  could  express  her 
despair. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  22Q 

At  last  came  the  night  of  the  concert,  and  the 
teacher,  ready  to  begin,  found  the  owner  of  the 
"  Voice  " — gorgeous  costume  and  all — fast  asleep 
on  a  bench. 

But  all  the  care,  anxiety,  trouble,  and  worry 
were  forgiven.  For,  once  roused,  he  trotted  upon 
the  stage,  bowed,  smiled,  scowled,  and  sang  all  at 
the  proper  time,  and  carried  his  audience  captive  ; 
and  "  thereby  hangs  a  tale." 

The  captivated  audience  were  not  content  that 
he  should  be  covered  with  honors  that  night  and 
cover  up  a  stomach-ache  all  the  next  day,  but 
they  made  it  their  business  to  praise  and  pet  him 
everywhere  they  met  him. 

As  a  result  the  little  black  feet  dangled  in 
front  of  the  big  arm-chair  when  they  ought  to 
have  been  in  school,  and  the  "  Voice  "  talked  con- 
certs instead  of  geography  so  incessantly  that  the 
teacher's  conscience  began  to  prick ;  for  was  not 
she  the  cause  of  it  all  ? 

Wondering  what  could  be  done,  she  was  greatly 
relieved  when  in  the  course  of  a  revival  her  young 
friend  was  powerfully  converted. 

For  a  week  he  was  in  school  and  ceased  to 
trouble  her.  Then  the  pastor  started  a  subscrip- 


230  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

tion  for  a  new  church,  and  gave  each  member  a 
five-dollar  list  which  they  must  give  or  raise. 

As  our  young  friend  had  no  money  to  give  he 
started  out  to  raise  it,  skipping  school  to  do  so. 

He  counted  much  on  his  lately  acquired  popu- 
larity, and  not  in  vain,  for  he  raised  his  subscrip- 
tion in  one  day,  and  then,  instead  of  returning 
to  school,  took  another  list  and  went  into  the 
business. 

Now,  this  was  all  very  well  for  the  church,  but 
not  very  beneficial  to  the  boy's  education.  While 
his  poor  teacher  was  in  the  depths  of  despair 
over  this  new  freak  an  angel  of  mercy,  in  the 
shape  of  Mrs.  P ,  descended. 

Now,  Mrs.  P—  -  meditated  a  journey  to  the 
land  (as  she  said)  where  God  lives,  otherwise 
the  "  North."  Hearing  of  the  teacher's  troubles, 
and  being  one  of  the  captivated  audience,  she  at 
once  proposed  to  delay  a  day  and  take  the  boy 
along,  which — skipping  the  details  which  would 
make  a  story  in  themselves — she  did. 

Now,  if  the  reader  knows  anything  about  K — 
he  knows  what  a  dismal  place  it  is  even  in  the  sun- 
shine ;  and,  perhaps,  he  can  imagine  how  utterly 
unbearable  it  is  in  the  rain.      Mrs.  P and  her 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  23! 

young  charge  arrived  about  six  A.  M.  and  missed 
the  east  bound  train. 

If  you  ever  do  this  let  me  advise  you  to  take 
the  next  train  into  the  city.  Mrs.  P —  -  was 
tired,  hungry  and  cold,  and  she  started  out  in  the 
wind  and  rain  to  see  what  she  could  find.  Now, 
I  think  that  I  am  right  in  stating  that  there  is  not 

a  place  in  K except  liquor  saloons.  Should 

there  be  one  place  not  so  used  I  most  humbly 
beg  its  pardon. 

Mrs.  P ,  after  tramping  until  she  was  muddy 

halfway  up,  wet  halfway  down,  and  cold  all  over, 
found  a  saloon  with  a  parlor  over  it,  which  was 
placed  at  her  disposal,  and,  in  consideration  of 
her  condition,  a  fire  was  built  in  the  barroom 
below  that  the  pipe  in  the  parlor  might  be  warm. 

She  sat  on  the  floor  back  against  the  pipe 
until  sleep  overcame  her.  Seeing  her  young 
charge  artistically  engaged  on  the  floor  with  a 
piece  of  wrapping-paper,  a  broken  lath,  and  a 
pencil,  she  stretched  out  on  the  couch  and  was 
soon  fast  asleep. 

Awaking  with  a  start,  she  found  the  room 
empty.  Not  a  vestige  of  the  boy,  but  the  lath. 


232  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

It  was  not  reassuring  to  hear  talk  below  of  the 
circus,  and  great  oaths  because  of  the  weather. 

A  vision  of  a  small  black  boy  flying  around  a 
tent  on  a  vicious  horse  passed  before  her,  and  she 
meditated  a  wild  flight  after  him.  But  before  she 
raised  courage  to  venture  out  into  the  wet  there 
came  heavy  steps  on  the  stairs,  a  rough  knock  at 
the  door,  and  a  burly  policeman  tramped  into  the 
room. 

To  his  rough  demand  as  to  whether  she  was 

Mrs.  P ,  and  had  a  colored  boy  with  her,  she 

answered,  faintly,  that  she  was  Mrs.  P ,  and 

that  she  did  have  such  a  boy. 

"  Why  in  thunder  didn't  you  keep  him,  madam  ? 
I'll  tell  you  we  won't  have  him  working  on  our 
streets,  and  if  that  is  what  you  brought  him  for 
you  had  better  take  him  back." 

Mrs.  P looked  in  amazement  through  the 

window.  The  mud  did  not  look  as  though  it 
stopped  short  of  China,  and  the  plank  walks 
were  partly  floated  by  the  overflowing  gutters. 
What  could  the  boy  do  on  these  streets !  She 
turned  to  the  policeman.  "  I  don't  understand." 

He  drew  from  his  pocket  and  placed  on  the 
table  a  piece  of  damp,  crumpled  wrapping-paper, 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  233 

which  still  showed  a  rough  sketch  of  an  imposing 
church  with  a  tapering  spire. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  that  before  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  I  think  so." 

"And  this?"  producing  a  very  dirty  subscrip- 
tion-list. 

"  O,  yes." 

"  Well,  I—" 

But  here  the  boy  burst  into  the  room  with 
dripping  clothes,  bulging  eyes,  and  open  mouth, 
which  he  closed  abruptly  at  the  sight  of  the  po- 
liceman. 

"  Here  he  is,  a  nice  young  rascal,  taking  his 
dirty  paper  into  the  stores,  singing  for  money,  and 
stopping  people  on  the  street  this  awful  weather 
to  beg  for  a  miserable  church  down  South." 

Mrs.  P 's  eyes  sparkled.  "Now,  see  here; 

you  need  not  talk  about  his  dirty  paper.  Your 
saloons  are  too  dirty  to  mention  in  the  same 
breath  ;  and  what's  more,  there  is  nothing  in  this 
miserable  town  but  saloons,  and  if  there  is  any  one 
here  decent  enough  to  give  money  for  a  church  I 
am  astonished. 

"  If  you  had  a  church  here  it  would  be  some 


234  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

credit,  and  there  would  be  a  decent  place  for  me 
to  go  to,  where  my  ears  would  not  be  filled  with 
oaths  that  no  word  in  the  dictionary  is  vile 
enough  to  qualify.  If  you  are  so  wicked  that  a 
church  can't  exist  here  you  had  better  get  down 
on  your  knees  and  thank  the  Lord  that  he  was 
good  enough  to  honor  your  town  for  a  few  hours 
with  the  presence  of  a  boy  who  loved  his  Maker." 

By  this  time  the  policeman  had  backed  into  the 
hall  and  shut  the  door. 

While  the  boy  hugged  the  stovepipe  with  one 
wet  arm  and  counted  his  money,  she  heard  the 
policeman  say  below  that  he  would  arrest  anyone 
who  swore  there  while  the  lady  was  above. 


REV.  MADISON  C.  B.  MASON,  A.M. 
MR.  MASON  was  born  on  a  sugar  farm  near 
Houma,  La.,  March  21,  1859.  At  ten  years  of 
age  he  entered  school  and  mastered  the  alphabet 
the  first  day.  Reaching  the  limit  of  the  country 
school  in  the  fall  of  1874,  he  entered  the  State 
A.  and  M.  College,  New  Orleans,  La.,  in  January, 
1875.  This  was  a  mixed  school,  and  Mr.  Mason 
received  no  little  persecution  and  ill-treatment 
on  account  of  color.  He  refused  to  leave,  how- 


REV.  MADISON  C.  B.  MASON.  A.M., 
it  of  Freedmen's  Ad  and  Southern  Educa 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  235 

ever,  and  stood  at  the  head  of  his  class  from 
March  till  the  close  of  school  in  July.  He  was 
principal  of  the  town  school  of  Houma,  where  he 
was  once  a  student,  from  1877  to  1880.  In  the 
fall  term  of  1880  he  entered  New  Orleans  Uni- 
versity, but  left  in  the  spring  of  1881  to  become 
postmaster  of  his  native  town.  In  1883  he  joined 
the  Louisiana  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  a<id  was  stationed  at  Haven 
Chapel,  New  Orleans,  when  he  entered  New  Or- 
leans University,  graduating  from  the  classical 
department  in  May,  1888.  In  the  pastorate  Mr. 
Mason  has  been  highly  successful,  as  his  work  in 
church-building,  paying  debts  of  long  standing, 
and  conversions  at  Haven,  Thomson,  and  Mallalieu 
chapels  will  show.  He  is  now  pastor  of  Lloyd 
Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
the  largest  in  the  Savannah  Conference,  and  the 
church  is  greatly  prospering  under  his  charge. 

He  delivered  an  able  address  at  one  of  the  an- 
niversaries of  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  and 
preached  a  sermon  that  attracted  much  attention 
at  the  time  of  the  recent  session  of  the  General 
Conference  in  Omaha,  Neb. 

He  is  now  the  field  agent  of  the  Freedmen's 
Aid  Society. 


236  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

BEHOLD  THE  LAMB  OF  GOD. 

Sermon  by  Andrew  L.  Jackson,  one  of  our  students,  also  an 
assistant  teacher. 

THERE  is  nothing  that  cheers  me  more  than  the 
Bible,  and  particularly  the  life  and  character  of 
John  the  Baptist.  When  John  appeared  it  was  as 
black  as  midnight.  The  Old  Testament  had  been 
sealed  up  by  Malachi's  proclamation  of  the  Lord 
and  of  the  forerunner  who  should  introduce  him. 

We  are  told  that  with  Malachi  prophecy  ceased 
for  four  hundred  years.  Then  John  came  preach- 
ing repentance,  preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
He  looked  back  upon  the  past  and  forward  to  the 
future. 

I  will  not  dwell  upon  his  birth,  although  it  is 
interesting  to  read,  in  Luke,  the  conversation  of 
the  angel  Gabriel  with  Zacharias,  his  father,  when 
he  was  executing  the  priest's  office  before  God, 
and  what  took  place  when  John  was  born. 

As  in  the  case  of  Jesus,  his  name  and  his  birth 
were  announced  beforehand.  When  John  was 
born  there  was  a  great  uproar  of  the  people,  but 
it  soon  died  out.  The  death  of  Christ  would 
have  died  out  of  men's  minds  had  it  not  been  for 
the  Holy  Ghost. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  237 

After  the  wonders  attending  John's  birth  for 
thirty  years  he  dropped  out  of  sight. 

Many  events  had  taken  place  during  that 
period.  The  Roman  emperor  had  died.  Herod, 
who  had  sought  the  lives  of  young  children  when 
he  heard  that  Jesus  was  born  "  King  of  the  Jews," 
was  dead.  The  shepherds  were  gone.  The  father 
of  John  the  Baptist  was  gone.  Simeon  and 
Anna,  the  prophet  and  prophetess,  were  gone. 
John  was  forgotten  among  men.  All  at  once 
there  was  "  a  voice  heard  "  in  the  wilderness,  and 
a  cry  came,  "  Repent,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  at  hand."  There  had  been  a  long  line  of 
prophets.  John  was  the  last  prophet  of  the  law. 
He  stood  upon  the  threshold  of  a  new  age,  with 
one  foot  upon  the  old  and  the  other  upon  the 
new  dispensation.  He  told  them  what  had  taken 
place  in  the  past,  and  what  should  take  place  in 
the  future. 

Now,  there  were  two  Johns,  the  apostle  who 
gave  us  the  "  Revelation,"  and  John  the  Baptist. 
We  would  like  to  distinguish  these  two  Johns. 

All  the  evangelists  speak  of  John  the  Baptist. 

Matthew  says,  "In    those    days    came   John    the 

.  Baptist,  preaching    in   the    wilderness  of  Judea." 


238  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Mark  says,  "  The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilder- 
ness, Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his 
paths  straight."  In  Luke  we  read,  "  The  word  of 
God  came  unto  John  the  son  of  Zacharias  in  the 
wilderness."  John,  the  beloved,  says,  "  There  was 
a  man  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was  John." 

That  is  the  way  these  four  men  introduce  him. 
His  dress  was  much  like  Elijah's,  which  was  of 
camel's  hair,  with  a  leathern  girdle.  His  preach- 
ing was  like  that  of  Elijah.  No  name  could  stir 
the  people  like  Elijah's  name.  And  when  the 
news  had  reached  from  town  to  town,  and  at 
last  reached  Jerusalem,  that  one  had  risen  like 
Elijah  in  the  appearance  of  his  dress,  and  the 
power  of  God  was  upon  him,  the  people  flocked 
to  hear  him.  It  seems  very  strange  that  he  never 
performed  any  miracles,  nor  healed  any  sick  ;  and 
yet  he  moved  the  whole  nation.  And  when  his 
fame  had  spread  abroad  you  could  hear  the  tramp 
of  thousands  flocking  from  the  towns  to  the  wilder- 
ness to  hear  a  man  who  had  no  commission  from 
men  ;  a  man  who  had  gone  through  no  college  or 
seminary;  who  had  no  D.D.,  LL.D.,  or  any  other 
handle  to  his  name ;  but  was  simply  John,  a 
heaven-sent  man,  with  a  heaven-given  name. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  239 

And  many  of  the  people  believed  on  him  be- 
cause he  was  sent  from  God.  In  Boston  or  Lon- 
don any  great  man  can  gather  a  large  audience ; 
but  let  him  go  away  into  the  forest  and  see  if  he 
can  draw  a  crowd  from  the  cities  to  hear  him,  as 
John  did. 

The  bank  of  the  Jordan  was  his  pulpit,  the 
desert  his  home  ;  his  food  was  locusts  and  wild 
honey. 

Then  went  out  to  him  Jerusalem  and  all  Judea 
and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan.  Think  of 
the  whole  population  going  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  hear  an  open-air  preacher,  and  to  be  bap- 
tized of  him  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins. 

He  only  preached  two  sermons.  His  first  text 
was,  "Repent."  Perhaps  no  lips  ever  uttered  the 
word  "repent"  as  John  the  Baptist.  Secondly, 
"  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God."  Day  after  day  when 
he  walked  out  on  the  banks  of  that  famous  river 
you  could  hear  his  voice  rolling  out,  "  Repent  ye  : 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand."  We  can 
almost  now  hear  the  echoes  of  his  voice  as  it 
floated  up  and  down  the  Jordan. 

Many  wonderful  things  had  taken  place  on  that 
stream.  Naaman  had  washed  away  his  leprosy 


240  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

there.  Elijah  and  Elisha  had  crossed  it  dry  shod. 
Joshua  had  led  through  its  channel  the  mighty 
host  of  the  redeemed,  on  their  journey  from  Egypt 
into  the  promised  land.  But  it  had  never  seen 
anything  like  this.  Men,  women,  and  children  ; 
mothers  with  babes  in  their  arms,  scribes,  Phari- 
sees, and  Sadducees,  publicans  and  soldiers  flocked 
from  Judea,  Samaria  and  Galilee  to  hear  this 
wonderful  preacher. 

John  preached  his  first  coming,  so  we  are  to 
preach  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  It  is  safe 
for  us  to  preach  it.  If  you  remember  he  said  he 
is  coming  again,  and  no  one  can  hinder  it. 

John  was  not  like  most  preachers,  who  preach 
to  be  praised  of  men.  He  preached  to  please 
God.  He  had  several  chances  to  make  himself 
great  among  men,  but  did  not.  One  day  there 
came  down  from  Jerusalem  a  very  influential  com- 
mittee, appointed  by  the  chief  priests,  to  ask  him 
if  he  was  the  Messiah,  or  Elijah,  or  what  he  was. 
And  when  they  asked  was  he  the  Messiah,  what 
an  opportunity  he  had  to  pass  himself  off  as  Christ. 

John  the  Baptist  was  very  little  in  his  own 
estimation,  but  the  angel  had  said  before  his 
birth,  "  He  shall  be  great  in  the  sight  of  the 


AND   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  24! 

Lord,"  and  this  was  why  he  cried,  "  Behold  the 
Lamb  of  God." 


I  don't  know  why  John  called  him  a  lamb,  but 
of  all  creatures  a  lamb  is  the  humblest. 

Take  a  lamb  and  a  goat,  for  comparison, 
to  put  them  to  death,  and  one  goat  will  make 
more  noise  than  a  hundred  lambs.  So  it  is 
with  sinners.  They  dread  death,  but  a  Chris- 
tian don't.  Abel  offered  a  lamb  unto  God  for 
a  sacrifice,  and  it  was  accepted.  Abraham  offered 
Isaac,  his  son,  upon  the  altar,  but  God  provided 
a  lamb. 

We  will  use  this  lamb  as  the  second  person  in 
the  Holy  Trinity,  and  in  the  objective  case  and  the 
object  complement.  In  reply  to  them  that  were 
sent  from  Jerusalem  when  they  asked  him,  "  Who 
art  thou  ?  "  he  confessed  and  denied  not,  but  con- 
fessed, "  I  am  not  the  Christ."  They  asked  him, 
"  What  then,  art  thou  Elijah  ?"  and  he  said,  "  I 
am  not."  "  Art  thou  that  prophet  ? "  and  he 
answered,  "  No."  Then  said  they  unto  him, 
"  Who  art  thou  ?  that  we  may  give  an  answer  to 
them  that  sent  us;  what  sayest  thou  of  thyself?" 

He  said,  "  I   am  the  voice   of  one    crying  in  the 
11 


242  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

wilderness,   Make  straight  the  way  of  the   Lord, 
as  said  the  prophet  Esaias." 

And  the  next  day,  while  John  stood  on  the 
banks  of  the  famous  river  Jordan,  and  the  people 
were  standing  around  him  from  every  quarter, 
hearing  every  word  he  spake,  he  stopped  sud- 
denly in  the  middle  of  his  sermon  ;  his  appearance 
changed,  and  the  people  began  to  wonder  what 
was  the  matter  with  him. 

No  doubt  they  asked  the  question,  "  Has  he 
lost  the  thread  of  his  discourse?  Is  sickness 
stealing  over  him  ?  Has  death  laid  his  icy  hand 
upon  him?"  But  John  stood  with  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  a  man  who  had  no  extraordinary  appear- 
ance different  from  any  other  man.  He  ap- 
proaches the  Jordan,  and,  addressing  John,  asks 
to  be  baptized  of  him.  The  Master  says,  "  Suffer 
it  to  be  so  now :  for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfill 
all  righteousness." 

After  being  baptized  by  John,  as  they  came 
out  of  the  water  the  Spirit  descended  like  a 
dove  and  abode  upon  him ;  and  the  voice  of 
Jehovah,  which  had  been  silent  upon  the  earth 
for  centuries,  was  heard  saying  from  heaven, 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  243 

"  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased." 

From  the  time  of  the  fall  of  our  first  parents 
God  could  not  say  that  he  was  pleased  with 
man.  But  as  Jesus  came  up  out  of  the  water 
the  heavens  were  opened,  and  God  himself  bore 
witness  that  he  was  "well  pleased  with  his  be- 
loved Son." 

John  said  that  he  saw  and  bore  record  that 
"  this  is  the  Son  of  God."  And  the  next  day 
John  saw  Jesus  coming  to  him  and  said,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God." 

From  that  day  John  changed  his  text.  He  had 
preached  "  Repent,"  but  now  his  text  is,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world."  Now  John's  mission  was  near  about 
accomplished.  He  did  what  he  came  to  do. 
His  mission  was  to  rebuke  sin.  And  because  he 
rebuked  the  king  and  told  him  it  was  not  lawful 
for  him  to  live  in  adultery,  and  because  he  was 
not  ashamed  to  deliver  God's  message  just  as  it 
was  given  to  him,  he  was  beheaded  for  his  testi- 
mony, and  buried  in  the  land  of  Moab,  just  out- 
side the  holy  land,  near  where  Moses,  the  law- 
giver, was  buried.  His  ministry  was  very  short; 


244  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

it  lasted  only  two  years.     But  he  had  finished  his 
course ;  he  had  done  his  work. 

Now,  my  dear  friends,  we  have  meant  here  to 
point  out  to  you  the  way  that  leads  from  earth 
unto  heaven  ;  the  King's  highway — the  way  of 
holiness. 

Our  text  says,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God." 
You  that  know  anything  about  language  know 
that  "behold"  means  to  look.  So  we  want  you 
to  look  upon  Jesus,  "  the  King  of  kings,"  and  the 
"  Prince  of  peace."  A  generation  ago  the  Prince 
of  Wales  made  a  tour  through  America,  and  did 
not  tell  anyone  his  mission  until  he  returned 
home.  But  this  Prince  tells  us  he  did  "  not 
come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance." 

Yea,  behold  him  in  the  garden  ;  in  agony  he 
prays.  Behold  him  led  before  Pilate,  and  from 
Pilate  to  Herod. 

Isaiah  said  at  one  time,  while  looking  down  the 
broad  lane  of  time,  seven  hundred  years  before 
his  appearance,  "  He  was  oppressed,  and  he  was 
afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouth :  he  is 
brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  245 

sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth 
not  his  mouth.  He  was  taken  from  prison  and 
from  judgment :  and  who  shall  declare  his  gen- 
eration ?  for  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the 
living  :  for  the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he 
stricken." 

Behold  him  nailed  upon  the  Roman  cross, 
hanging  between  heaven  and  earth,  bleeding  and 
groaning  in  order  that  you  and  I  might  inherit 
eternal  life. 

We  are  told  after  he  was  dead  Joseph  begged 
his  body  and  laid  it  in  his  own  new  tomb.  After 
three  days  God  sent  the  angels  down  to  roll  away 
the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepulcher,  and  the 
Lamb  of  God  rose  with  power.  After  forty  days' 
stay  on  earth  with  his  disciples  he  took  them  out 
to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and  behold  a  bright  cloud 
overshadowed  them,  and  he  was  taken  up  into 
heaven. 

He  says  that  he  is  coming  again  to  take 
his  disciples  home,  to  live  eternally  in  the  king- 
dom with  the  sanctified  forever.  And  when  he 
shall  come  to  select  his  jury  I  want  to  be  num- 
bered in  the  number  that  John  saw,  when  the 
graves  shall  be  bursting  and  the  sea  rolling  her 
dead  to  shore  ;  and  when  we  shall  step  on  board 


246  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

of  his  train,  and  quit  time  for  eternity,  and  as  we 
go  higher  and  higher,  and  when  we  get  up  about 
the  third  heaven,  and  when  he  shall  command 
the  everlasting  gates  to  fly  wide  open  and  the 
everlasting  doors  to  'be  lifted  up,  then  shall  we 
hear  him  say,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world." 


REV.  E.  B.  RICHARDS. 

THE  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  man  about  forty 
years  of  age,  having  been  a  slave  in  his  early  boy- 
hood, with  but  few  recollections  of  the  dark  days 
preceding  freedom.  His  father  and  mother  were 
persons  of  remarkable  sense  and  strong  character. 

The  father  and  mother  died  during  the  recon- 
struction period,  and  Edward,  being  the  eldest, 
was  left  in  charge  of  the  home  and  the  family. 
Two  brothers  and  two  sisters  under  his  guidance 
have  grown  up  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  and 
are  leading  useful  and  worthy  lives,  owing  to  him 
the  priceless  boon  of  a  good  example,  good  do- 
mestic training,  and  a  good  education.  He  post- 
poned his  marriage  until  he  had  seen  his  two  sis- 


— 


REV.  E.   B.  RICHARDS. 


MRS.   E.   B.   RICHARDS. 


AND   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  247 

ters  and  one  brother  through  their  schooling,  then 
took  into  the  partnership  of  his  life  a  worthy,  ex- 
cellent woman,  who  is  now  the  mother  of  his  two 
sons,  and  the  sympathetic  sharer  in  his  toils  for 
the  good  of  others.  He  makes  his  youngest 
brother  a  member  of  his  household,  and  gives  him 
opportunities  of  education. 

Mr.  Richards  is  a  rare  man.  He  is  a  plain, 
pointed,  earnest  preacher,  never  satisfied  without 
gathering  souls  into  the  Church.  He  is  a  faith- 
ful and  successful  financier,  keeping  himself  and 
his  church  out  of  debt,  and  making  the  church 
property  better. 

He  is  a  man  of  pure  heart  and  correct  life.  The 
standard  of  clean  living  he  holds  high,  and  the 
Ten  Commandments  are  kept  to  the  front  by  doc- 
trine and  by  example.  He  is  now  in  the  fourth 
year  of  his  pastorate  in  Trinity  Church,  Win- 
sted,  La. 


ISAIAH    EUGENE   MULLON,   A.M.,  M.D. 

ISAIAH  EUGENE  MULLON  was  born  of  slave 
parentage  August  i,  1856,  at  Vicksburg,  Warren 
County,  Miss.  His  father,  a  Baptist  minister, 
died  when  he  was  but  one  year  and  a  half  old, 


248  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

leaving  him,  together  with  four  other  children,  to 
the  care  of  his  mother. 

At  the  end  of  the  war,  and  when  he  was  but 
eight  years  old,  his  mother  moved  to  New  Or- 
leans, and  thus  enabled  him  to  enter  the  public 
schools  of  that  city.  This  he  did  not  do,  how- 
ever, until  he  had  reached  his  eleventh  year.  He 
remained  at  the  public  schools  until  he  com- 
pleted the  grammar  grade,  and  passed  a  success- 
ful examination  for  admission  to  the  Boys'  High 
School  of  New  Orleans.  He,  however,  together 
with  many  other  successful  candidates  of  his  race, 
was  not  admitted  on  account  of  color.  He  there- 
upon sought  admission  to  the  New  Orleans  Uni- 
versity, and  entered  its  first  freshman  class  in 
the  fall  of  1873.  While  pursuing  his  studies  at 
the  university  he  maintained  himself  by  teaching 
evening  school,  his  mother  being  too  poor  to  do 
more  than  give  him  a  home. 

"Having  completed  the  classical  course,  he  was 
graduated  with  his  class,  and  with  high  honor,  in 
the  spring  of  1878,  receiving  the  Baccalaureate  of 
Arts. 

Immediately  upon  leaving  school  he  received 
an  unimportant  government  appointment,  but 
shortly  afterward,  giving  this  up,  he  went  to  Sum- 


Profes 


PROFESSOR  I.  EUGENE  MULLON,  A.M.,   M.D., 
ir  in  Mallalieu  Medical  College  of  the  New  Orleans  Ur 


AND   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  249 

mit,  Pike  County,  Miss.,  and  took  charge  of  a 
school  having  an  enrollment  of  more  than  three 
hundred  students.  He  remained  there  two  years, 
having  very  phenomenal  success,  and  then  gave 
up  the  principalship  in  order  to  take  the  chair  of 
Latin  and  Greek  in  his  Alma  Mater. 

In  the  fall  of  1881  he  entered  the  Meharry 
Medical  College,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  being  con- 
vinced that  his  vocation  was  in  that  direction. 
While  here  he  was  converted  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  After 
graduating  he  returned  to  Mississippi,  and,  having 
passed  an  examination  before  the  Board  of  Medi- 
cal Censors,  located  at  Summit,  Miss.,  began  prac- 
tice. A  year  later  he  removed  to  Holmesville, 
Miss.,  and  soon  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice.  He  continued  practice  here  over  six 
years,  when  he  was  again  honored  by  his  Alma 
Mater,  this  time  being  called  to  assist  in  organiz- 
ing the  medical  department  of  the  New  Orleans 
University.  In  this  new  school  he  was  elected 
professor  of  anatomy,  which  position  he  now 
holds. 

In  March,  1891,  he  was  appointed  a  member  of 
and  secretary  to  the  United  States  Board  of  Ex- 
amining Surgeons  for  Pensions,  at  New  Orleans 
11* 


250  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

—a  position  which  he  still  holds.  He  is  also  visit- 
ing and  consulting  physician  to  the  Faith  Old 
Folks'  Home  (Baptist),  and  to  the  Methodist  Old 
Folks'  Home.  In  addition  to  these  things  he  has 
a  very  large  and  constantly  increasing  general 
practice. 

In  1886  he  was  married  to  Miss  Amanda  S. 
Perry,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  who  is  the  mother  of 
his  four  children. 

Dr.  Million  has  a  keen  analytical  mind,  and  one 
that  moves  with  quickness  on  a  bee-line  straight 
to  honest  conclusions.  In  his  practice  he  chal- 
lenges and  receives  the  respect  and  the  patronage 
of  both  white  and  colored  people. 


A  BASKET  MEETING. 

IT  was  a  great  day  for  little  Azelia.  They 
were  all  going  to  the  basket  meeting  at  the 
Tchoupique.  Yes,  all  ;  and  that  meant  her,  and 
she  had  never  before  been  at  a  basket  meeting 
away  from  home. 

By  daylight  the  household  were  astir,  and  there 
was  much  talk  of  an  early  start  ;  but  there  were 
six  heads  to  be  combed,  and  that  meant  time. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE. 


Aunt  Dorcas  was  a  decidedly  neat  woman,  and 
she  usually  kept  the  children's  hair  "  wound  " — a 
process  that  would  take  time  to  describe.  Suffi- 
cient to  say  that  it  gave  the  head  a  skinny  ap- 
pearance and  a  resemblance  to  a  checker-board, 
but  it  made  cleanliness  possible  and  prevented  a 
frowsy  aspect.  The  hair  once  wound  would  re- 
main so  for  weeks,  and  ten  minutes  a  day  served 
to  wash  the  heads  of  the  family.  But  on  a  gala 
day,  like  this  Sunday  morning,  all  the  hair  must 
be  unwound  and  combed. 

Aunt   Dorcas  had    four  daughters,   one  niece, 
and  a  stray  orphan  girl,  the  aforesaid   Azelia,  in 
the  family,  and  all   too   small  to  comb  their  own 
hair  for  "  com- 
pany."      So     it 
was  ten  o'clock 
before    the    six 
girls,  two  boys, 
Aunt      Dorcas, 
and  Uncle  Jim 
climbed      into 
the  ox  cart,  by 

aid  of  a  chair,  and  started  on  their  way.  As  one 
of  the  oxen  was  sick  Uncle  Jim  had  borrowed  a 
mule  to  help  out,  and  the  team  did  not  work  very 


252  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

well.  The  mule,  being  evidently  disgusted  with 
his  partner,  divided  his  time  between  trying  to 
lift  Uncle  Jim  off  his  seat  and  biting  the  unoffend- 
ing ox. 

"  Ef  dis  yere  mule,"  said  Uncle  Jim,  "  'ud  jes' 
keep  quiet  ole  Buck  'ud  get  us  dar  all  right." 

The  way  was  long  but  not  tedious,  for  the 
boys  gathered  flowers  and  the  girls  sang  hymns 
until  Aunt  Dorcas  told  them  to  keep  their  throats 
for  church.  I  think  it  would  be  hard  for  the  ma- 
jority of  people  to  conceive  what  an  endless  en- 
joyment there  is  in  the  singing  of  plantation  mel- 
odies in  an  ox  cart. 

About  noon  they  came  to  a  crossroad,  and 
were  joined  by  other  teams  bound  the  same  way. 
Queer-looking  teams  they  were,  too — any  ram- 
shackle thing  that  could  be  tied  or  nailed  together 
and  drawn  by  any  beast  that  would  pull.  Here 
and  there  they  met  groups  of  pedestrians  in  gala 
dress.  As  they  neared  the  church  the  children 
began  to  tease  Uncle  Jim  for  nickels. 

"You  know  you  means  to  gib  us  some  in 
church.  Let's  hab  'em  now,  pa." 

"  O  yes,  let's  each  one  hab  'er  own." 

"  I    don't    think    it   looks    like    educated    folks 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  253 

to  be  runnin'  'round  church  givin'  yer  children 
nickels." 

That  last  fetched  Uncle  Jim.  Rose  had  been 
to  school,  and  always  knew  how  to  bring  him  to 
time.  His  hand  was  in  his  pocket,  when  Aunt 
Dorcas  perceived  his  intention. 

"What  yer  doin',  Jim  Johnson?  Don't  yer 
know  dem  chil'un  '11  jes'  gib  dat  money  to  de 
wrong  man.  Dey  don't  know  nuffin  at  all  'bout 
de  preachers." 

"  'Deed  we  do,  ma  ;  'deed  we  do." 

"  H'm  ;  ef  you  had  two  nickels  who'd  you  gib 
'em  to  ?  " 

There  was  a  silence  ;  then  Zeal's  little  hand 
crept  up  Uncle  Jim's  knee. 

"  Be  you  gwine  to  preach,  uncle  ?  " 

"  Dar  now,"  said  Aunt  Dorcas.  "Jes' see  dat. 
Dem  chil'un  'ud  jes'  gib  you  all  de  money  dey 
had,  an'  tease  fur  more  wen  dey  saw  Mis'er  Green 
a-failin'." 

Just  then  a  long  procession  came  up  a  cross- 
road and  turned  toward  the  church  steeple,  which 
could  be  seen  across  the  fields.  There  were 
twelve  teams,  all  drawn  by  mules  or  horses,  and 
all  showing  the  effects  of  a  long  trip.  Some  of 


254  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

them  were  quite  fine  equipages.  The  effect  upon 
our  friends  was  immense,  and  Aunt  Dorcas  took 
the  occasion  to  give  a  new  exhortation  :  "  Keep 
de  nickels  fur  Mis'er  Green,  kase  I  tell  you  'tu'l 
be  hard  to  keep  'rn  up  'gainst  Brudder  Simons." 
But  all  Aunt  Dorcas's  eloquence  could  not 
erase  Rose's  words  from  Uncle  Jim's  mind.  He 
slipped  a  handful  of  nickels  to  her  as  he  helped 
her  from  the  cart,  saying,  "  Gib  'em  to  de  chil'un, 
but  dey  mus'  be  sure  an'  keep  'em  fur  Mis'er 
Green." 

The  church  was  filling  fast,  and  the  children 
were  well  content  with  seats  halfway  back  in  the 
middle  of  the  church,  while  Aunt  Dorcas  and 
Uncle  Jim  made  their  way  to  the  "Amen"  cor- 
ners. It  was  a  plain,  rectangular  building,  painted 
white  inside,  with  no  pretense  to  decorations  ex- 
cept painted  window-panes  in  imitation  of  stained 
glass,  and  a  few  mottoes  cut  from  silver  paper — 
with  backward  S's  and  N's — pasted  askew  on  the 
wall. 

The  aged  local  preacher  was  holding  forth 
from  the  pulpit,  filling  in  time  until  the  "big 
bugs  "  came.  Quite  a  stir  was  occasioned  by 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  255 

the  entrance  of  Brother  Simons  and  his  crew. 
But  the  service  continued  all  through  the  greet- 
ings and  bustle.  No  one  paid  any  attention  to 
what  the  brother  was  saying  ;  but  a  few  white- 
turbaned  sisters  in  the  "  Amen  "  corner  kept  up  a 
murmuring  and  responding  that  answered  just  as 
well. 

As  soon  as  quiet  was  regained  the  old  man 
stepped  to  the  altar  rail,  saying,  "  Now,  my  fr'en's, 
doan'  leave  me  all  out.  Ef  you  please  to  gib  me 
one  dollar  an'  a  dime  I  will  t'ank  you  kin'ly.  Sing 
me  a  lively  tune,  my  sisters."  Whereupon  the 
sisters  tuned  up  and  a  few  of  his  personal  friends 
walked  up  and  put  a  nickel  apiece  on  the  table. 
As  he  begged  for  "jes'  a  few  mo'  nickels"  some 
of  the  strangers  took  pity,  and  he  finally  an- 
nounced that  he  was  much  obliged  for  six  bits 
and  a  nickel. 

As  he  stepped  out  a  gaunt  young  man  rose  in 
the  pulpit  and  began  to  line  out  a  hymn  with 
tremendous  force.  The  contrast  to  the  weak- 
voiced  old  man  was  great  and  drew  the  attention 
of  the  social  groups  outside,  who  hurried  in  and 
filled  every  available  place.  Those  who  could 
not  find  seats  stood  outside  by  the  open  windows, 
and  everybody  gave  attention.  He  announced 


256  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

his  text  as  "  An'  we  desire  a  better  country," 
but  paid  no  attention  to  it  except  to  shout  it 
with  great  gusto  now  and  then.  He  held  his 
audience  by  physical  power.  His  arms  gyrated 
about  him  like  the  arms  of  a  wind-mill,  and 
his  enormous  fists  made  havoc  with  the  Bible. 
As  he  worked  into  excitement  his  voice  rang 
over  the  fields,  and  the  belated  sisters  at  home, 
packing  baskets,  smiled  and  said,  "  Brudder  Alf  's 
a-p  reach  in'." 

Just  as  his  audience  was  in  perfect  harmony 
with  him — the  sisters  swaying  their  bodies  and 
moaning  as  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  while  the 
brothers  kept  time  with  their  feet  and  shouted 
"  Amen  " — he  stopped  abruptly  and  demanded  the 
collection. 

At  this  the  excitement  abated.  Some  one 
started  a  hymn,  and  about  one  third  of  the  con- 
gregation went  out  to  walk.  Our  young  friends 
were  among  this  number.  After  visiting  the 
nearest  cabin  for  a  drink  and  saying  "howdy''  to 
their  friends  they  returned  to  the  church  to  find 
Brother  Alf  still  begging  money.  He  left  the 
table  in  charge  of  a  friend  while  he  ran  around 
outside  among  the  people  teasing  and  begging 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  257 

until  he  returned  triumphantly  to  thank  the  peo- 
ple for  five  dollars. 

After  this  Uncle  Jim  was  put  in  to  fill  a  va- 
cancy. Now,  Uncle  Jim  had  no  education  what- 
ever, but  he  did  have  quite  a  knowledge  of  the 
Bible,  acquired  through  hearing  his  children,  es- 
pecially Rose,  read  it ;  and  as  his  brain  was  not 
full  of  half  a  hundred  other  things,  and  he  was 
not  trying  to  remember  parts  of  a  dozen  books 
at  once,  he  remembered  what  he  heard.  His 
sermon  was  such  a  combination  of  Scripture  and 
hymn  fragments  that  there  was  not  much  room 
for  any  thing  original  ;  and  though  many  of  the 
hymns  may  not  be  familiar,  my  readers  will  please 
remember  that  the  unwritten  hymnology  of  the 
colored  race  is  more  thoroughly  known  among 
them  than  the  hymn  book. 

"  My  breddrin,  you  will  fin'  my  tex'  in  de 
third  chapter  of  Revelation,  de  twentyef  verse, 
'  Behol',  I  stan'  at  de  do',  an'  knock.'  Now,  bred- 
drin, I  ain't  feelin'  so  well  to-day,  bein'  much 
obercome  wid  de  misery  in  my  back.  So  I  aint 
'spectin'  to  preach  all  de  tex',  but  jes'  gib  you  all 
a  few  ijees.  '  Behol',  I  stan'  at  de  do',  an'  knock.' 
My  breddrin  an'  sisterin,  let  us  dis  mawnin'  look 
'way  back  in  de  garden  ob  Eden  an'  see  Eve 


258  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

in  de  garden  ;  an'  de  angel  vvid  de  fiery  sword  he 
say, 

"  '  Eve,  whar  is  Adam  ? 
Eve,  whar  is  Adam  ? ' 

Den  Eve  she  call  back  an1  say, 

"  '  Adam  in  de  garden  pinnin'  leaves.' 

An'  de  angel  see  Adam  a-runnin'  out  de  garden 
an'  he  say, 

"  '  Whar  you  runnin',  sinner  ? 

Far'  you  well. 
Whar  you  runnin',  sinner? 

Far'  you  well.' 

Den  Adam  he  say, 

"  '  I'se  a-runnin'  from  de  fi-ar. 

Far'  you  well. 
I'se  a-runnin'  from  de  fi-ar, 

Far'  you  well." 

"  O,  my  breddrin,  dat  wuz  a  sad  time  !  Eve 
she  step  on  the  serpent's  head,  an'  de  serpent  bite 
her  heel.  '  Behol',  I  stan'  at  de,  do'  an'  knock.' 
Let  us  come  down,  my  breddrin,  let  us  come 
down  to  little  David  as  he  ten'ed  his  sheeps  on  de 
hillside ;  an'  he  kill  de  lion  an'  de  bar  to  save 
he's  sheep.  An'  de  lion  he  say,  '  Turn  me  loose, 
little  David;'  an'  he  say,  '  I  ain't  gwine  ter  turn 
yer  loose  t'will  I  kill  you.'  An'  Saul  he  sont  fur 
David,  an'  he  say, 


AND   AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  259 

"  '  O,  David  !  play  on  yer  gol'en  harp. 

Hallelujah ! 
David  play  on  yer  gol'en  harp. 

Hallelujah ! ' 

" '  Behol',  I  stan'  at  de  do',  an'  knock.'  An' 
Isaiah  he  stan'  on  Mount  Zion,  an'  he  look  'way 
off  an'  he  say,  '  I  see  'im,  de  mighty  God,  de  eber- 
lastin'  Father,  an'  de  Prince  ob  peace.' 

"  '  Den  de  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  one; 
King  Jesus  suckle  at  de  breas'  so  young. 
De  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  two ; 
King  Jesus  read  de  Bible  trou'. 
De  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  t'ree  ; 
King  Jesus  died  upon  de  tree.' 

An'  he  groan,  an'  he  groan,  an'  he  say, 

"  '  Follow  me  on  Calvary, 

On  Calvary. 
O,  follow  me  on  Calvary.' 

••  '  De  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  five; 
King  Jesus  make  de  dead  alive. 
De  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  seben ; 
King  Jesus  rose  and  went  to  heaben. 
De  clock  in  heaben  done  struck  eight ; 
King  Jesus  stan'in'  at  heaben 's  gate.' 

Jesus  he  knock  at  de  do',  an'  de  Fader  he  say, 
'Who  dar?'  An'  Jesus  say,'  De  great  "  I  AM."' 
Den  de  Fader  say,  '  Lif  up  yo'  heads,  O  ye 
gates ;  an'  be  ye  lif  up,  ye  eberlastin'  do's  ;  an'  de 
King  ob  glory  shall  come  in.'  An'  de  angel  hos' 
cry,  '  Who  is  dis  King  ob  glory?'  An'  dey  shout, 


260 


GILBERT   ACADEMY 


'  De  Lord  ob  hos's,  he  is  de  King  ob  glory.'     Den 
de  do'  fly  wide  open,  an'  Jesus  he  walk  in  to — 

"  '  Ahgu  wid  de  Fader  an' 
Chattah  wid  de  Son,  an' 
Talk  about  the  woiT  he 
Jes'  come  from.' 

" '  Behol',  I  stan'  at  de  do',  an'  knock.'  Yes,  Jesus 
is  knockin'  at  every  sinner's  heart  dis  mawnin'. 
Gib  him  yo'  heart,  sinner,  fo'  de  worl's  on  fi-ar." 

As  the  audience  had  sung  every  hymn  with 
him,  and  echoed  almost  every  word,  they  were 
much  wrought  up,  and  not  in  the  best  state  to 
take  up  a  collection. 

One  immensely  fat  sister  was  walking  the  aisle 
with  the  help  of  several  others  and  ejaculating 

"My  Jesus." 
Another  very 
slender,  grace- 
ful girl  was 
swaying  to  and 
fro  in  the  arms 
of  her  friends 
with  closed 
eyes,  while  two 

others  were  stiff  upon  the  floor.     One  of  Uncle 
Jim's   daughters  was  sitting  with  clinched  hands 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  26l 

and  shining  eyes  vainly  endeavoring  to  suppress 
her  excitement  as  Rose  held  her  and  whispered, 
"  Don't  you  dare  to  shout."  It  was  several 
minutes  before  order  could  be  restored  enough 
to  start  the  collection,  and  then  there  was  not 
much  interest.  As  Uncle  Jim  begged  in  vain 
for  more,  Mr.  Simons  shrugged  his  shoulders 
and  muttered,  "  Mus'  ha'  thought  'e  was  preachin' 
fur  mou'ners.  Dat's  no  way  to  git  money."  But 
Uncle  Jim's  pleading  was  too  much  for  his 
children,  and  one  by  one  they,  contrary  to  all 
instructions,  marched  up  and  put  their  all  on 
the  table.  Aunt  Dorcas  looked  in  amazement  and 
wondered  where  they  got  their  money,  as  she  never 
dreamed  that  Jim  had  disobeyed  her.  Uncle  Jim 
was  certainly  distracted.  He  wanted  the  money 
for  his  collection,  to  be  sure,  but  the  thought  of  his 
disobedient  children  and  Dorcas's  wrath  if  Mis'er 
Green  failed,  tormented  his  soul.  He  was  so  over- 
come that  he  stopped  begging,  thanked  the  congre- 
gation for  three  dollars  and  six  bits,  and  sat  down. 

A  great  variety  of  sermons  followed.  A  very 
foppish  young  man  with  olive  skin  and  wavy  hair 
read  from  manuscript  a  sermon  that  was  evidently 
not  his  own,  as  he  mispronounced  one  third  of 


2&2  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

the  words.  But  to  most  of  his  hearers  it  was 
splendid,  and  they  sat  in  open-mouthed  astonish- 
ment. Rose,  indeed,  turned  up  her  nose  and  mut- 
tered something  about  stolen  compositions  ;  but 
the  majority  were  delighted,  and  gave  the  young 
man  a  good  collection.  At  last,  after  eight  ser- 
mons and  collections,  every  cent  of  the  money 
seemed  gone,  and  the  church  was  not  more  than 
half  full.  Indeed,  during  the  whole  afternoon  the 
audience  had  been  on  the  move,  only  sitting  still 
during  preaching.  Each  collection  time  was  a 
chance  for  movement.  As  the  people  went  for- 
ward to  the  table  one  had  an  opportunity  to  go 
out,  get  a  change  of  scene  and  a  dish  of  conver- 
sation. If  you  found  a  chatty  friend  bubbling  over 
with  news  you  could  seek  a  cozy  place  under  a 
tree  and  wait  until  the  next  sermon.  There  were 
so  many  sermons  that  the  loss  of  one  did  not 
trouble  your  conscience.  Or,  if  you  felt  so  in- 
clined, the  bayou  bank,  with  its  spreading  live 
oaks  draped  with  swaying  moss,  was  an  inviting 
place  for  an  afternoon  nap,  and  you  wrould  be  sure 
of  finding  church  progressing  when  you  awoke. 

During  the  fifth  sermon   a   deep  whistle  drew 
all  of  the  outsiders  and  part  of  the  congregation 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  263 

to  see  the  passing  of  the  New  Orleans  steamer. 
But  they  soon  returned,  and  church  went  on. 
Interest  was  at  a  low  ebb  after  the  eighth  sermon, 
when  Brudder  Simon's  clear  voice,  singing 

"  Somebody's  dyin'  ebery  day," 

brought  every  one  in.  They  knew  what  was 
coming. 

Brudder  S was  short  and  clear.    He  did  not 

rouse  his  audience  to  a  great  pitch,  but  he  kept 
their  minds  on  the  collection  from  the  beginning. 
He  spoke  much  of  slavery  days  and  the  sorrow 
of  being  without  church  service,  and  then  of  the 
necessary  expense  of  churches  and  of  the  ungrate- 
ful ones  who  were  too  stingy  to  help.  He  spoke 
in  his  own  vernacular,  but  well,  and  stopped  soon, 
as  the  sun  was  getting  very  low.  Then  the  ex- 
citement began.  Brudder  S led  his  own  sing- 
ing, and  drew  over  ten  dollars  from  the  apparently 
empty  pockets. 

Then  a  man  from  his  own  delegation  arose  and 
started  down  the  aisle  singing.  All  of  the  delega- 
tion followed,  and  they  went  around  and  around 
the  church,  putting  each  a  nickel  on  the  table 
every  time  they  passed.  One  by  one  they  dropped 


264  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

out  from  the  procession  as  their  money  gave  out, 
until  only  two  remained,  the  leader  and  a  fat  sis- 
ter. Great  interest  prevailed  as  the  two  marched 
on  singing  at  the  top  of  their  voices.  At  last  the 
leader  gave  up  in  despair,  and  the  sister  marched 
triumphantly  to  her  seat.  Then  Brudder  S— 
thanked  his  audience  for  twenty-seven  dollars,  and 
sat  down  amid  great  silence. 

Mis'er  Green,  the  home  minister,  now  arose  and 
said  that  it  was  so  late  that  he  would  not  preach, 
but  would  just  take  his  collection.  With  a  sud- 
den reviving  the  home  sisters  began  to  sing  and 
march  up  to  the  table.  But  it  takes  a  great  many 
nickels  to  make  twenty-seven  dollars,  and  faces 
began  to  grow  very  long,  for  it  would  never  do  to 
have  the  home  minister  beaten  by  an  outsider. 
Uncle  Jim  went  across  and  gave  three  nickels  to 
Aunt  Dorcas,  but  she  looked  in  vain  to  see  him 
go  to  the  children.  She  became  very  restless  as 
the  collection  lagged,  and  she  meditated  a  trip  to 
Uncle  Jim.  She  wondered  what  in  the  world  was 
the  matter.  The  children,  seeing  her  anxiety, 
slipped  out  one  by  one  and  held  a  counsel  by  the 
steps.  What  was  to  be  done?  Not  one  of  them 
had  a  nickel,  and  the  spruce  young  men  around 
the  door  leaned  listlessly  against  the  church  with 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  265 

their  hands  in  their  empty  pockets.  They  stood 
several  minutes  talking  and  bewailing  the  empti- 
ness, when  their  attention  was  caught  by  Zeal's 
little  figure  tearing  across  the  meadow.  Three 
times  she  fell  down  and  scrambled  up  again.  At 
last  she  burst  through  a  hole  in  the  fence,  and, 
putting  a  silver  dollar  in  one  of  the  boys'  hands, 
fell  exhausted  on  the  steps. 

"Zeal  Johnson,  where'd  you  get  that  money?" 
demanded  Rose.  But  Zeal,  too  breathless  to  re- 
ply, pointed  feebly  into  the  church,  and  the  boy 
took  the  dollar  to  the  table  and  brought  back 
ninety-five  cents  change.  This  he  distributed  to 
the  children,  and  they  marched  up  to  the  table. 
The  effect  was  electrical,  and  in  ten  minutes  the 
pastor  thanked  the  audience  for  twenty-seven  dol- 
lars and  thirty  cents.  Then  he  announced  the 
day's  collection  as  ninety-eight  dollars,  and  the 
congregation  arose  for  the  benediction. 

After  this  the  home  sisters  drew  out  their 
baskets  and  fed  the  strangers.  Chicken,  cake, 
and  pie  vanished  like  magic,  and  the  elders  went 
to  an  adjoining  cabin  for  coffee.  Everything  was 
bustle  and  cheer.  The  teams  were  brought  up. 


266 


GILBERT    ACADEMY 


Amid  much  noise  and  laughter  the  elders  shook 
hands  and  the  children  and  sweethearts  said  fare- 
well in  the  twilight.  Then  the  teams  started  off, 
and  our  little  party  took  up  their  slow  journey 
homeward.  Zeal  was  the  heroine  of  the  occasion, 
and  her  excursion  to  the  school  teacher  formed 
the  basis  of  conversation.  At  last  the  young  ones 
fell  asleep,  and  even  Uncle  Jim  began  to  nod. 

But  fortunately  they  were  not  far  from  home, 
and  old  Buck  knew  the  way.  He  took  them 
safely  to  their  door,  for  the  mule  had  become 
more  docile.  The  ox  would  have  waited  patiently 

until  some  one 


awoke,  but  the 
more  impatient 
mule  lifted  his 
heels  and  sent 
Uncle  Jim  fly- 
ing over  upon 
h  is  sleepi  ng 
family.  This  had  the  desired  effect.  But  to  this 
day  Uncle  Jim  does  not  know  how  he  fell  off,  or 
why  his  shins  were  so  sore.  And  I  think  we  all 
agree  that  a  "  basket  meeting  "  is  a  very  fine  place 
to  spend  the  day. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  267 


PATSEY. 

WHAT  is  writ  is  writ.  I  have  no  apology  for  it. 
The  gathered  together  incidents,  put  into  the 
course  of  one  life,  are  facts.  The  story  covers  an 
important  crisis  in  the  march  of  a  race  from 
heathen  barbarism  to  Christian  civilization. 

A  race  with  a  rich  nature  that  ought  to  have  a 
chance — a  pasture,  not  barren  fields,  to  feed  upon. 

From  our  first  knowledge  God's  hand  has  been 
visible  with  them  in  leadership,  even  through 
slavery. 

A  people  loved  of  Christ.  As  Mrs.  Livermore 
says,  "  His  next  appearance  will  be  to  them." 
Through  all  the  vicissitudes  the  march  of  the 
black  people  has  been  onward  and  upward.  God 
makes  no  failures.  The  Almighty  hand  steadies 
this  people. 

"  God  help  the  little  children  ! 
"  God  help  the  little  orphan  children ! 
"  God  help  the  little  colored  orphan  children  ! 
"God  help  the  little  colored  orphan  children  of 
Louisiana ! " — Henry  Ward  Beecher. 


268  GILBERT   ACADEMY 

Chapter  I. 
CHAOS. 

IT  was  a  very  quiet  confusion  on  the  Teche. 
Old  things  were  done  away  and  nothing  had  be- 
come new.  The  old  "  Marsas,"  kind  and  unkind,  had 
disappeared  ;  the  old  quarters  were  closed,  tightly 
closed  ;  all  the  doors  and  shutters  unhinged  ;  every- 
thing demoralized ;  chaos  reigned ;  the  evening 
bell  was  not  rung,  the  evening  rations  not  given ; 
the  rice  fields  were  dry  and  barren,  and  the  sugar 
cane  not  laid  by.  The  men  darkies  lounged  about 
or  fussed  in  squads  ;  the  women  wandered  to  and 
fro,  followed  by  half-grown  children,  while  smaller 
ones  were  strewn  over  the  ground,  some  asleep, 
pillowed  on  the  live  oak  overground  grown  roots, 
some  tossed  and  rolled  in  feverish  unrest.  The 
low-hanging  branches,  festooned  with  moss,  made 
a  deep  shade  and  a  lovely  canopy.  The  breeze 
crept,  tender,  gentle,  and  salt-laden  from  the 
Mexico  gulf,  bearing  the  glow  of  the  hot  sun's  rays. 

O,  these  long  parched  days  !  So  many — would 
they  never  cease  ?  Would  September  never  end  ? 
The  end  was  nearer  than  I  thought.  I  was  very 
young,  but  how  well  I  remember  that  time,  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  269 

how  strange  it  seems  to  look  back  to  it,  now  that 
I  am  a  grown  woman  and  can  take  good  care  of 
myself!  Then  a  poor  little  distracted  black  girl, 
I  was  forlorn  ;  God  alone  knows  how  forsaken  ;  I 
begged  one  "puhcoon"  (pecan  nut)  ;  I  cracked  it 
with  my  teeth  and  made  it  go  around,  a  crumb 
to  each  buddie,  giving  baby  the  biggest  of  all. 
Not  satisfied,  he  caught  the  shells  from  my  hand 
and  crunched  them  with  his  little  white  teeth  in 
spite  of  me.  My  baby — left  to  me  by  my  mother, 
whom  they  had  put  into  the  ground  only  the  day 
before — starved.  I  could  not  have  been  ten  years 
old.  Our  scanty  dinner  of  sw,eet  potatoes  I  dug 
from  a  neighboring  field  with  my  bare  toes,  stand- 
ing straight  up  and  looking  down  the  road  that  no 
one  should  know  what  I  was  about.  I  fed  them 
to  my  little  brood  raw.  My  heart  swelled  with 
delight  as  baby  gnawed  his  and  cooed  on  my  lap, 
wise  enough  to  cover  it  with  his  little  bony  hand 
when  any  one  drew  near.  It  had  been  a  meager 
dinner,  and  we  were  to  go  supperless  to  bed,  only 
as  we  could  gather  in  something  from  somewhere. 

Last  night  it  was  a  handful  of  corn  from  a  mule 
crib  not  far  off.  I  waited  until  it  was  dark  enough 
to  slide  around  unseen  and  pick  up  a  few  grains  of 


270  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

their  slobberings.  It  required  great  care,  for  even 
they  had  grown  wise,  and  defended  their  troughs 
with  feet  and  teeth.  Very  justly  I  doled  out  my 
grains  of  corn  to  my  little  flock,  always  commenc- 
ing and  ending  with  baby,  making  him  hunt  for 
each  grain.  How  hard  it  was  to  make  him  un- 
derstand when  the  last  one  was  gone  !  To-night 
there  was  no  corn.  They  had  taken  away  the 
mules.  Baby  whined  himself  to  sleep  holding  his 
little  hand  on  my  cheek  and  his  face  in  my 
neck.  A  bird  sang  in  the  wood,  and  he  whispered, 
"Seour,  sing,"  and  I  sang  "  Three  Golden  Gates  in 
the  East  "  until  the  woods  rang.  I  soon  slept  my- 
self. In  the  dead  of  night  I  awoke,  O,  so  cold  ! 
'Twas  dark  and  foggy.  My  babe  was  slipping 
off  my  lap  ;  he  was  heavy,  and  cold  like  ice.  I  saw 
a  fire  through  the  woods  and  started  to  take  him 
to  it.  I  carried  him  on  and  on  and  brought  him 
to  the  blazing  heat.  He  would  not  wake  up. 
Some  one  said,  "  Laws,  dat  chil's  dead."  I  knew 
it  then,  and  threw  him  down  on  the  ground  and 
ran  screaming  out  into  the  darkness.  I  hid  my- 
self; I  watched  and  waited.  They  picked  up  my 
baby  and  took  off  his  rags,  washed  him  in  a  tub 
of  warm  water,  and  put  a  little,  white  slip  on  him, 
and  put  him  by  a  big  tree  under  a  blanket. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  27! 

I  saw  when  they  lifted  the  blanket  there  were 
more  babies  under  it,  all  dressed  in  white  with 
their  hands  crossed  on  their  breast,  all  looking 
right  up  into  heaven.  They  looked  so  sweet  and 
clean  and  so  warm  under  that  blanket  that  I 
stopped  crying  and  began  to  feel  better.  There 
was  my  own  dear  baby  all  washed  and  dressed  in 
a  long  white  robe  just  like  the  angels.  O,  how 
many  people  there  were  moving  around  in  the 
woods  ! — all  colored — no  ;  there  was  one  white 
lady,  tall,  thin,  and  straight.  She  was  near  the  fire, 
and  I  saw  that  she  was  the  one  who  was  making 
angels  out  of  the  dead  babies.  As  the  fire  shone 
on  her  face  I  saw  that  she  looked  sorry,  and  that 
she  did  not  speak  to  anyone  at  all,  but  moved  her 
lips  and  talked  to  some  one  up  in  the  sky.  I  was 
scared  of  her.  She  looked  out  into  the  dark 
toward  me.  I  thought  that  she  was  a-coming  after 
me,  and  crawled  on  the  ground  into  the  road  and 
ran  until  I  was  tired.  The  running  warmed  me. 
It  was  getting  daylight. 

I  stopped  at  a  shanty  to  look  at  a  long  white 
robe  on  a  line,  one  end  of  the  line  fastened  to 
a  shanty  roof  and  one  end  to  a  big  rose  vine  that 
was  running  up  a  magnolia  tree.  It  was  an  angel's 


272  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

robe  and  laid  along  the  line  just  like  a  person, 
looking  right  up  into  the  rose  tree.  I  went  close 
up  to  it  to  'zamin*  it  to  see  it  plenty.  O,  it  was  the 
onliest  growed-up  angel's  robe  I'd  ever  sawd,  and 
I  thought  if  I  had  dat  chariot  robe  I  could  go 
right  along  to  hebben  and  take  my  baby  wid  me 
— ride  up,  both  ob  us,  and  all  de  dead  babies,  all 
ob  us  altogether  ride  up  in  de  chariot  fo'  sun-up. 
The  old  aunty  cook  saw'd  me,  and  she  went  and 
made  me  come  in.  She  said,  "  Poor  little  Pat- 
sey,  I  knew'd  your  dead  mudder."  She  gave  me 
a  pone  and  some  milk,  and  sat  me  down  by  the 
big  fireplace  while  she  went  to  the  big  house 
with  the  sick  ladies'  breakfast  I  drank  the  milk, 
poked  the  pone  into  my  bosom,  ran,  caught  the 
angel  robe  off  the  line,  mussed  it  under  my  arm, 
and  ran  to  the  little  gate.  Here  I  met  the  doctor 
man.  He  said  to  me,  "Here,  nig,  take  this  medi- 
cine to  your  missus;  tell  her  that  Judge  A — 
has  shot  himself — something  about  that  Creole 
quadroon  and  those  beautiful  children  of  his. 
God  !  what  will  become  of  them  ?  " 

He  was  talking  to  some  one  I  did  not  see. 
"Child,  run  in  and  tell  Miss  Ann  I  will  be  back 
about  sun-up,"  and  away  he  went.  I  tucked  the 


AXD    AGRICULTURAL    COLLECK.  273 

bottle  in  my  bosom  with  the  pone  and  ran  down 
the  road.  I  was  so  tired  I  kept  falling  down,  and 
each  time  I  thought  that  I  was  dead.  O,  my 
lovely  white  robe  all  covered  with  lace  !  I  held  it 
tight  as  I  lay  in  the  road.  I  took  the  cork  out 
the  bottle  and  drank  some  of  it  and  made  it  fast 
again  to  keep  some  for  my  little  dead  buddy.  I 
soon  felt  able  to  get  up  and  run  on  again.  When 
I  got  near  home  I  saw  my  biggest  buddy  with  a 
big  fish  on  a  hook,  just  pulling  it  out  of  the  bayou. 
O,  how  I  screamed  and  clapped  my  hands  with 
delight ! — such  a  big  fish ;  but  no  one  saw  nor 
heard  me  ;  they  were  all  wild  about  the  fish.  I 
did  not  see  the  white  lady  anywhere.  I  was  so 
sleepy  I  slipped  on  my  white  robe  over  my  rags 
and  crawled  under  the  blanket  close  to  my  baby, 
poured  the  rest  of  the  medicine  into  his  mouth 
and  poked  the  corn  pone  into  his  little  cold  hand. 
I  pulled  the  long  robe  clear  down  over  my  feet 
and  stretched  out  with  my  hands  folded  over  the 
lace.  O,  how  lovely  I  looked  and  how  happy  I 
felt !  I  peeked  out  my  eyes  to  see  all  the  people 
make  a  feast.  All  coming,  coming,  so  many  of 
them  to  cook  and  eat  that  fish,  some  bringing 
little  wads  of  grub  in  their  hands,  all  they  had. 
The  fire  burned  up  and  up,  and  the  great  live 

12* 


274  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

oaks  swung  and  danced  in  the  breeze..  Still  the 
people  came,  so  many  little  folks ;  everybody 
carrying  babies.  Big  people  toting  little  people  ; 
small  children  toting  smaller  ones ;  wee  ones 
crawling  over  the  ground.  The  woods  was  swarm- 
ing with  wee  people,  but  so  still.  The  big  ones 
did  not  laugh;  the  little  ones  did  not  cry.  So 
many  babies,  so  many  hungry  babies,  and  still  they 
did  not  cry ;  so  many  suffering  and  not  one  cry. 
The  world  full  of  them  ;  the  trees  full  of  them  ;  the 
sky  full  of  them ;  and  they  all  had  wings  ;  and  I,  too, 
had  wings.  And  my  head  whirled,  and  my  eyes 
closed,  and  I  died,  O,  so  happy ! 


Chapter  II. 

"  HERE  it  is  now,  sticking  out  from  under  this 
blanket,  and  there  she  is  herself;  I  sesso,  dat 
nig — Pat's  her  name — is  a  tief.  Yes,  I  sesso. 
And  dar's  Misse's  med'cin  all  drunk  up.  La! 
Strip  it  off  her,  and  let  me  get  it  back.  Dat 
med'cin  rank  pizen  ;  kill  dat  darky  sho's  yo'  born." 

The  blanket  was  jerked  off,  and  there  .was  that 
old,  black  aunty  cook,  looking  straight  down  at 
me.  She  stripped  off  my  white  robe,  shook  me 
until  my  head  bobbed  from  side  to  side,  and  my 


AND    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE.  275 

teeth  rattled  together.  I  held  on  to  my  angel 
robe  and  tried  to  scream.  But  I  felt  sick,  and 
my  eyes  would  not  stay  open,  and  my  mouth 
would  not  cry.  A  kind  voice  said,  "  Let  that 
chile  'lone  ;  she  is  more'n  half  dead  now." 

Then  I  saw  through  my  eye-cracks  a  big  white 
man.  The  black  aunty  said  to  him,  "  You  looks 
mighty  like  Jesus  Chris'  'at  I  seen  in  a  vision  las' 
night." 

He  reach  down  and  took  me  out  of  her 
clutches,  and  smiled  at  me  as  he  passed  me  over 
to  the  tall  white  lady  who  laid  me — all  limp — on 
some  moss  in  a  cart,  with  many  other  half  dead, 
ragged  little  niggers.  O,  how  I  felt  inside  of  me! 
It  seemed  in  my  stomach.  My  white  robe  was 
gone,  and  I  could  not  go  to  heaven.  Did  I  not 
take  it  myself  off  the  line  and  brung  it?  O,  if  I'd 
only  'ev'  got  into  heaven  with  it  they  could  never 
have  got  me  out !  They  would  not  let  me  in  now, 
in  my  rags!  How  I  did  hate  that  black  aunty! 
But  I  hated  her  worse  when  she  gave  my  little 
dead  buddie  to  a  great  black  man  that  looked 
like  a  big  cypress  tree.  I  tried  to  wiggle  out  of 
the  cart,  but  she  held  me  tight  and  said,  "  Dat 
baby  stinks,  honey.  'Lijah  will  take  'im  to  de 


276  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

preacher,  an'  de  preacher  will  put  'irn  in  de 
groun?'  I  bit  her  arm  until  she  screamed  out.  I 
took  a  pin  out  of  her  dress  and  was  trying  to 
put  it  into  her  leg;  and  then  Mr.  Almighty  came, 
an'  dey  drive  us  all  down  to  de  bayou.  They 
put  us  on  the  carpet  in  Abraham  Lincoln's  boat. 
They  brunged  us  all  in  'til  the  flo'  was  all  rilled 
up  with  black,  sick  chil'en;  and  away  the  big  boat 
went  down  the  bayou.  They  washed  me  in  a  lit- 
tle room  where  there  was  a  big  teakettle  fas- 
tened up  on  the  wall,  and  t'rew  myole  dress  in  de 
bayou  for  the  fishes,  they  said.  They  put  on  a 
blue  and  yellow  dress  'at  dragged  out  behind  and 
looked  might' nice.  They  took  it  out  of  a  box.  I 
heard  the  white  lady  say,  "  These  dresses  are  all 
long  enough  for  me.  What  a  shame  ! "  They 
made  me  drink  good  soup  out  of  a  cup,  an'  some 
milk,  an'  guv  me  a  big  sho'  enough  apple  to  hold 
that  I  could  eat  by  and  by.  I  walked  in  front 
of  the  big  looking-glasses  until  I  fell  down,  I  was 
that  mighty  proud  and  weak. 

The  white  missus  came  and  bent  over  me,  and 
her  pretty  ribbon  fell  off  with  the  bright  star  pin 
on  it.  I  jerked  it  up  and  poked  it  in  my  bosom. 
She  looked  at  me  so  sorry  I  took  it  out  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2JJ 

said,  "  Here  it  is,  missus,  de  devil  made  me  done 
it."  She  said,  "  You  are  a  poor,  half-starved  little 
girl ;  I  love  you.  This  pin  was  my  baby  girl's. 
She  lives  in  heaven  now  with  your  little  baby 
boy."  I  said,  "  O,  missus,  has  he  got  there  yet  ?  " 
I  told  her  what  the  old  black  auntie  said  about 
him,  and  I  screamed  loud.  She  told  me  about 
little  birdies  flying  away  and  leaving  their  old 
nests  behind  them.  I  said,  "  Yo'  sesso  ?  Yes, 
dat's  tru.  I  seed  'em  in  de  gum  tree."  Den  I 
sang,  "  Laz'rus  dead  !  O  bless  God  !  "  She  tole 
me  to  sing  mo'  fo'  her,  and  I  sing'd  "Walk  Around 
de  Ole  Buryin'  Groun',"  and  "  O,  Sinner,  God's 
Making  a  New  Hell."  Den  I  axed  her  to  'scuse 
me ;  I  had  so  much  misery  in  my  head  'at  I 
couldn't  study  'bout  any  mo'.  Would  she  let  me 
go  to  sleep  ?  Den  I  would  shout  fo'  her  as  old 
Aunt  Liz'  did  :  'at  she  put  her  hands  together, 
and  stretched  'em  up  and  pointed  straight  up  into 
heaven,  like  a  meeting-house  church  steeple ;  and 
her  toes  close  together,  and  jumped  right  up  and 
down,  clean  mos'  into  the  roof;  and  eberybody 
jumped  arter  her.  By-'m-by,  some  night,  Aunt 
Liz'  would  jump  right  true  de  roof  and  sky,  and 
go  to  hebben ;  her  head  'ould  knock  on  hebben's 
flo',  and  dey  would  open  de  do'  and  jerk  her  right 


278  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

in.  I  done  watch  her  close.  I  know'd  what  she'd 
done.  Arter  de  white  lady  said  'at  I  was  a  good 
girl  and  no  tief,  kase  I  gib  her  back  her  ribbon,  I 
ax,  "  Do  yo'  t'ink  God  will  lemme  into  hebben  ?" 
She  sesso,  "  ef  I  prayed."  I  ax  if  she  knowed 
God.  She  sesso  dat  he  lov's  me,  and  she  went 
doff  and  lef  me  in  de  dark  all  alone  with  the  sick 
babies.  And  I  commenced  to  pray,  "  O,  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting !  Will  you  please  to 
light  up  de  light  on  de  star  pole  of  Zion  dat  dis 
po'  dead  level  sinner  may  riz'  up  to  the  livin'  pur- 
pendicular  of  righteousness  and  salvation  ?  Ever- 
las'  to  everlas'  here  we  are  knee-bent  and  body 
bowed  to  give  you  some  berry  humble  tanks  in 
some  lonesome  valley  wid  our  hearts  bowed  be- 
low our  knees.  Will  yer  pleas'  to  inch  up  yer 
golden  char',  up  to  ye  di'mon'  winder,  and  take 
one  long  peep  down  to  dis  low  world  of  sin  and 
sorrow  to  see  what  Satin  is  doing  down  yer 
wid  yer  chil'ens?"  Den  come  aunty  wid  some 
puddin'  and  milk,  and  said,  "Stop  yer  prar,  chile, 
and  tak'  yo'  eat."  She  took  off  my  pretty  yellow 
"  frock,"  as  the  white  lady  called  it,  and  put  on 
my  "  nity,"  as  the  lady  named  it.  I  watched  where 
she.  put  it,  and  after  dey  were  gone  I  got  up  and 
stepped  over  the  babies,  de  little  sick  ones,  and 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  279 

brung  my  long  dress  and  poked  it  under  my  pil- 
low. Den  I  peeked  'bout  and  seed  de  lady  movin' 
Voun' wid  a  long  white  "nity"  on,  fixing  up  de 
babies  to  sleep.  She  kep'  talkin'  to  some  one 
'bout  de  "  blessed  little  childers."  She  said,  "  O, 
Father  !  O  my  dear  Father."  Dar  was  a  wee  bit 
of  a  white  baby  close  to  me  wid  soft  curls.  She 
held  it  in  her  arms  and  kissed  it,  and  kissed  it, 
and  cried.  O,  how  I  loved  to  watch  her ;  it  made 
me  happy  !  But  when  she  came  to  me  and  did 
not  kiss  me  I  ax  God  to  make  her  black — blacker 
'an  me.  I  hated  her  worse  'an  the  old  aunty.  I 
put  out  my  foot  so  dat  she  would  fall  over  it  when 
she  was  taking  de  white  baby  away.  But  she 
stepped  over  it,  and  I  went  to  sleep. 

Somebody  came  and  waked  me  up  by  pulling 
out  my  long  white  "frock"  from  under  my  pillow, 
and  I  saw  de  old  aunty  take  it  to  de  white  lady, 
and  she  took  de  scissors  and  hacked  it  right  in 
two,  cutting  off  all  the  pretties.  I  jumped  up  and 
ran  and  slapped  her  in  de  face  just  as  hard  as  I 
could.  I  caught  the  little  white  baby;  it  was 
asleep  in  a  char,  all  bunched  up  on  pillows.  I 
shook  it  and  t'rew  it  on  de  flo',  and  would  have 
jumped  on  it,  only  aunty  caught  it  away  from  me 


280  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

befo'  I  could  do  it.  She  took  me  by  the  arm 
and  t'rew  me  clar  down  the  cabin  onto  the  flo'.  I 
had  one  piece  of  the  dress.  I  ran  screaming  out 
into  the  dark  among  the  mens.  I  told  'em  dat 
white  'oman  was  a  devil — dat  she  cut  my  onliest 
dress,  and  dat  I  was  going  to  tak'  dat  poker  and 
kill  her  when  dat  light  went  out,  and  I  ax'd  one 
big  man  to  help  me.  But  he  only  laughed.  Den 
de  cook  called  me  into  de  kitchen  and  gave  me 
some  sweet  grub.  I  took  de  poker  and  pok'd 
some  coals  out  de  stove  into  a  big  box  of  shav- 
ings, and  dey  all  blazed  up  high.  De  cook  dashed 
water  on  it  and  took  me  back  to  de  cabin,  and  he 
brung'd  a  big  stick  for  de  ole  black  aunty  to  whip 
me.  He  said  this  girl  is  a  savage,  and  you  must 
gib  her  a  ka-hiding.  She  mos'  set  de  boat  on 
fire.  I  run'd  all  over,  steppin'  on  de  babies,  and 
aunty  arter  me.  I  was  screaming,  and  she  was 
a-screaming,  and  de  poor  little  babies  were  a- 
moaning.  And  now  and  den  she  struck  me  wid 
dat  big  ka-hide,  'til  my  po'  little  legs  had  misery 
plenty.  Lots  of  folks  came  into  de  cabin  to  see 
what  de  confusion  war  all  about.  Dey  jus'  stood 
still  and  look  at  us,  But  de  beautiful  white  lady 
she  peeped  tru  de  crack  ob  her  do',  and  she  told 
aunty  to  brung  me  right  to  he's.  O,  I  was  scared 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  28 1 

ob  her!  But  she  took  me  in  her  arms  and  kissed 
me,  and  put  me  in  her  white  bed  wid  her,  and  she 
bathed  me  wid  some  ting  dat  smell  nice,  and  called 
me  her  sweet,  lovely  baby,  dat  dey  must  no'  whipt 
me  never  any  more.  She  tole  me  'at  she  wished 
for  dat  piece  o'  dress  to  make  de  little  white  baby 
a  dress,  and  she  brung'd  de  baby  and  let  me  kiss 
it  plenty  ob  times.  I  gib'd  he's  de  clos  dat  I'd 
tied  round  my  boddy  under  my  "  nity."  She  said 
that  I  should  help  he  make  de  babies'  dresses  wid 
a  nice  new  little  work-box  full  of  needles,  and 
tread,  and  pins,  and  bright  new  timbles  ;  and  they 
should  be  all  my  own.  I  laughed  loud  and  tole 
her  dat  I  would  nebber  be  bad  any  mo'. 

She  said  she  would  tell  me  something  now  ;  she 
said,  "  Keep  very  still ;  I  can't  tell  yo'  when  yo' 
make  a  noise."  I  put  both  hands  on  my  mouth 
and  waited  so,  so  long.  Den  she  said  we  must 
get  on  our  knees ;  and  I  commenced  to  pray  as 
our  elder  do,  "  Everlas'  to  everlas'."  She  said, 
"  No,  no.  Say,  '  God — Father,'  say,  '  Dear  Father 
— God,  who  loves  me.' "  I  said  it.  And  den 
she  sang  soft,  soft,  "Jesus  loves  me."  She 
made  me  say  it  many  times,  and  den  she  let 
me  sing  it ;  and  she  told  me  dat  Jesus  Christ 


282  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

was  my  own  dear  brother ;  and  dat  he  died 
and  went  through  de  grave  to  hebben,  so  dat 
we  could  go  tru  de  grave  to  hebben  when  we 
died ;  dat  he  showed  us  de  way  so  dat  we  should 
make  no  'stakes.  And  den  she  asked  God  to 
make  me  kind  and  gentle  so  I  could  help  her  to 
take  care  of  the  little  babies  ;  and  she  told  God 
dat  I  was  the  onliest  one  she  had  to  help  her ;  de 
bery  onliest  one  to  make  der  soup,  der  gumbo- 
file,  and  make  der  dresses,  and  wash  der  faces. 
She  let  me  hug  de  white  baby  wid  hes  long  har 
jus'  so  plenty,  plenty.  She  said  it  was  Pa  God's 
baby;  dat  he  loved  it,  and  dat  he  loved  me 
plenty.  De  lamp  was  bright;  de  room  smelled 
sweet  as  sweet  olive. 

It  was  so  nice,  and  I  was  happy,  happy.  Yes; 
God  sesso.  "  He  lub  me,"  I  cried,  when  she  put 
de  lamp  out ;  but  she  held  my  hand ;  I  went  to 
sleep.  De  nex'  mornin'  she  dressed  me  in  short 
dress  wid  long  white  stockings  and  yellow  slip- 
pers. I  didn't  knowed  dat  der  was  such  pretty 
tings  in  de  whole  worl'.  O,  O !  how  soft  dey  did 
walk.  We  took  de  babies,  me  and  she,  two  or 
tree  at  one  time,  in  de  bath  room,  and  put  dem  in 
de  tub  wid  a  little  warm  water;  and  dey  liked  it, 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  283 

Yes,  dey  sesso,  all  ob  'em.  I  rub  dem  soft 
wid  a  sponge,  and  she  soaped  der  heads  all  white. 
We  all  laughed  as  loud  as  we  could,  She 
did  not  scold  when  de  babies  cried ;  no,  she 
said  it  did  dem  good.  How  dos'  babies  did  dink 
milk.  Dey  jus'  poked  it  down.  Some  ob  'em 
took  der  eat  jus'  like  old  folks.  When  we  reached 
New  Orleans  I  heerd  her  tell  Mr.  -  -  (I  did 
not  know  his  name  then — he  met  us  there), 
"  We  call  Patsy  Grace  now,  she  is  such  a  little 
lady.  She  is  my  best  help  ;  I  could  not  get  on 
without  her.  Pie  took  me  and  kissed  me,  and 
called  me  good  little  Gracey.  He  gave  me  a 
yellow  piece  of  money.  He  and  some  other  great 
gentlemen  took  us  to  a  big  fine  house  with  trees 
and  grass  all  around  it.  How  good  they  were  to 
us!  How  many  dead  babies  had  to  be  carried 
away  and  buried!  But  whatever  may  happen  to 
me  I  shall  never  forget  that  night  in  that  little 
room  with  the  white  lady  in  the  boat,  on  the 
Bayou  Teche,  going  to  New  Orleans,  just  going 
into  Grand  Lake,  when  I  learned  to  know  God 
as  my  Father  and  Jesus  as  my  brother.  By-'m-by 
I  learned  something  more.  My  great  big  God- 
Brother,  who  lives  in  heaven,  he  talks  to  God 
all  about  me,  and  he  has  written  my  name  in  the 


284  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

big  book  there,  so  everybody  knows  me  in  heaven, 
and  I  shall  know  them  all  when  I  get  there.  Now 
I  know  more  than  that  because  there  is  some  one 
lives  in  my  heart  who  came  right  from  heaven 
into  my  heart.  He  came  to  tell  me  all  about 
God  and  Christ,  and  all  about  heaven.  Every 
day  at  New  Orleans  was  a  delight,  and  yet  when 
I  look  back  at  that  time  I  see  that  my  joy  rested 
in  my  daily  duties,  my  constant  employment. 
Doing  for  others  and  learning  new  things  for  my- 
self filled  up  each  day  well.  I  was  very  happy. 
Allow  me  to  review  one  day  : 

Early  morning,  a  plunge  bath  and  dressing; 
then  learning  a  verse  from  the  Bible  for  evening 
worship,  taking  one  half  hour  ;  making  a  cup  of 

coffee  for  Mrs.  W ,  and  taking  to  her  room, 

with  a  bouquet  of  freshly-gathered  flowers,  an- 
other half  hour  ;  taking  my  own  glass  of  milk, 
warm  or  iced,  as  I  wished;  helping  to  prepare 
milk  and  ash-cake  for  the  children's  breakfast  and 
eggs  and  fruit  for  general  breakfast  brings  me  to 
breakfast  at  8  A.  M.  After  breakfast  I  put  on  my 
old  dress  and  help  to  clean  the  kitchen.  The 
good-natured  old  "Aunty"  tells  me  stories  and 
makes  me  laugh  while  we  scour  tins,  pots,  kettles, 
and  stove.  Then  we  get  down  and  scrub  the 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  285 

floor  with  a  brush  and  sprinkle  brick-dust  all  over 
it;  then  I  tidy  my  room  and  do  everything  I  can 

for  Mrs.  W 's  comfort;  then,  with  money  and 

basket,  "Aunty"  and  I  go  to  market,  I,  with  my 
little  blank  book,  putting  down  all  we  buy  and  the 
cost;  I  then  report  to  Mrs.  W—  — ;  she  sits  up 
in  bed  and  gives  me  an  organ  lesson  on  the  big 
organ  that  stands  in  her  room;  then  I  sing  for 
her  and  read  my  Bible  aloud;  read  in  my  little 
history  and  study  my  arithmetic  lesson;  "Aunty" 
has  taught  me  to  cook  eggs  in  six  different  ways, 

and  Mrs.  W says  that  I   can  soon  get  a  nice 

breakfast  all  alone.  She  told  me  this  morning 
that  I  made  the  best  coffee  she  ever  tasted.  I  am 
so  glad,  for  she  has  been  very  sick;  and  now  she 
lets  me  comb  her  long  hair.  We  soon  go  down 
to  lunch;  it  tastes  so  good — sweet  potatoes  and 
milk;  after  luncheon  I  take  the  little  white  baby, 
Lily ;  she  can  run  around  and  talk  some  now, 
and  she  has  on  a  little  white  dress  that  I  made  all 
myself;  and  we  go  into  Coliseum  Place  and  play 
on  the  grass  with  lots  of  other  children  in  the 
shade  of  the  cotton-ball  trees.  The  doctor  says 

Mrs.  W must  go  North,  and  I  am  to  go  with 

her;  and  Mrs.  B—  -  is  going  North  before  we 
do,  and  Lily  is  going  with  her. 


286  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

LILY — FACT. 

Fifteen  years  have  passed — years  spent  in 
learning  books  and  some  other  things.  How 
strange  it  was  to  meet  Lily  once  more !  She 
had  grown  tall  and  more  beautiful.  She  took  me 
to  her  rooms ;  lovely  velvet  carpets  and  crimson 
hangings.  I  looked  around  in  amazement. 

"  Do  tell  me  all  that  you  have  been  doing  all 
these  years.  I  should  never  have  known  you  ; 
but  then  you  were  only  a  baby." 

"O,  Mrs.  W was  so  nice  to  find  you  out, 

so  that  I  could  see  you  !  But  she  said  that  I 
must  be  careful  and  not  let  the  secret  out." 

"What  secret!  What  makes  you  look  so  sad 
and  put  your  fingers  on  your  lips  ?  Why  don't 
you  tell  me?  How  handsome  you  are!  What  a 
lovely  dress!  O,  do  laugh  and  talk  some." 

She  smiled  and  said  :  "  God  has  done  it  all. 
God  is  so  great  and  so  good  that  it  is  awe  to  think 
of  him  and  joy  to  love  him.  I  cannot  tell  you 
anything.  How  long  are  you  to  be  in  the  city?" 

"We  leave  next  Monday,  and  Mrs.  W told 

me  that  I  must  not  stay  but  an  hour." 

"Well,  don't  ask  me  a  question  ;  I  will  let  you 
take  my  diary,  if  you  will  keep  my  secret.  You 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  287 

can  read  all  about  me  since  we  parted,  but  you 
must  promise  never  to  divulge  my  secret:  not 
only  mine,  but  Mrs.  B 's,  and  also — 

"I — I  promise;  let  me  have  it.  I  am  wild  with 
curiosity." 

"  No;  I  will  wrap  it,  and  when  you  go  you  may 
take  it  with  you.  It  is  written  with  caution  ; 
there  are  no  names  nor  places  nor  dates — if  you 
only  won't  say  one  word.  I  am  under  a  pledge, 
you  know.  Now  let  us  forget  all  this  sorrow  and 
have  a  good  talk."  And  we  sat  down  by  the  win- 
dow on  a  crimson  sofa.  • 

The  sun  was  setting  and  sending  slant  rays 
through  the  falling  snow.  The  earth,  houses, 
fences,  trees,  everything  was  all  piled  up  with  snow- 
white  and  tinged  with  rose-color.  I  never  saw  any- 
thing more  beautiful.  I  said,  "  Lily,  let  us  get 
down  and  thank  God  for  his  goodness.  It  seems 
as  though  my  heart  would  burst  with  happiness." 
We  got  down  on  our  knees  and  laughed  and 
cried  for  joy. 

THE    DIARY. 

Mrs.    B is    so    good    here  in    this    lovely 

school.     She    must    have    plenty   of  money — all 


288  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

these  fine  things.  How  much  love  she  has  for 
me!  It  is  a  marvel;  I  am  so  glad!  But,  some- 
way— I  don't  know;  she  must  know,  she  is  so  wise 
and  good  and  kind — every  one  loves  her  and 
every  one  loves  me.  I  am  so  glad  that  I  am  here 
learning,  and  that  I  am  to  stay  through  and  have 
my  diploma.  Then  I  can  face  the  world,  Mrs. 

B says.      Everybody   knows   and  loves  Mr. 

B and  his  lovely  wife.      It  is  wonderful  that 

they  ever  came  to  love  me.  I  wonder  at  it.  It 
must  be  all  God's  care  of  me — poor,  little,  in- 
significant me.  I  must  keep  my  pledge  to 
them,  let  what  will  come.  Yet  I  sometimes  al- 
most wish  to  go  off  where  I  am  wholly  unknown 
and  make  my  own  way,  even  by  working  with 
my  hands.  Yet  I  love  them  next  to  God,  but 
'cepting  him. 

December  20. — What  a  busy  day!     Mrs.  B. 

is  here.  My  more  than  mother!  She  read  all  his 
letters,  and  yet  says  "  No — very  decidedly  no."  I 
cannot  disobey  her.  It  does  seem  hard  that  I 
can't  be  allowed  to  trust  the  only  man  I  have 
loved.  Then  he  loves  me  so  sincerely !  Why 
should  he  not  know  the  whole  truth  ?  Here  is 
his  last  letter : 


AND    AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  289 

"  LIL  :  I  am  getting  cross.  I  am  lonely  and 
sick.  Here  is  your  home;  been  ready  for  you 
for  months.  Did  you  not  promise  to  come  to 
me  this  fall — to  come  to  your  own  home?  It 
has  on  its  Christmas  dress,  all  ready  for  its  queen. 
I  shall  insist  on  your  coming  with  me  as  soon 
as  school  closes.  According  to  promise  I  will 
meet  you  where  we  met  before,  and  we  will  be 
married  at  once,  quietly,  as  you  wish;  but  be 
married  we  must.  I  do  not  understand  your  last 
note,  that  I  am  not  to  see  you.  What  nonsense  ! 
I,  after  this,  retract  what  I  said,  that  you  should 
stay  and  get  your  diploma.  What  is  this  idea 
that  I  cannot  see  you  ?  Some  one  is  doing  wrong 
to  try  and  break  our  engagement.  You  are  mine, 
and  come  to  me  you  shall,  or  I  will  do  something 
you  will  regret  all  of  your  life.  I  do  not  care  a 
rush  what  you  say  about  our  engagement  being 
conditional.  Some  one  put  those  words  into  your 
mouth.  Dearest,  you  are  the  only  woman  I  ever 
loved,  and  I  know,  darling,  that  you  love  me.  I 
am  satisfied,  and  my  ancestral  home  is  made 
ready  and  waiting.  Come  you  must.  If  you 
knew  how  lonely  I  am  since  mother's  death  ! 
Write  me  just  one  word,  Come.  I  must  see  you. 
Why  all  this  secrecy?  I  will  wait  until  the  last 

13 


2QO  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

day  of  the  term.  Expect  me  then.  Is  this  all  a 
joke,  that  I  cannot  see  you  ?  Bosh !  Darling, 
expect  me  the  last  day  of  the  term,  and,  if  the 
heavens  fall,  you  are  to  come  back  with  me." 

December  21. — We  are  going  away.     I   am  to 

go  with  Mrs.  B to-morrow.     It  is  all  fixed.     I 

don't  know  where.  She  has  been  with  me  all  day 
packing,  and  put  me  under  pledge  not  to  commu- 
nicate with  Mr. .  She  says  that  our  secret 

must  not  be  divulged ;  that  as  long  as  no  one 
knows  it  but  us  it  can  never  get  out,  and  my 
prospects  are  fair.  But  that  I  must  promise  her 
never  to  marry ;  that  I  must  put  it  all  out  of  my 
mind.  But,  O,  if  she  would  let  me  have  one 
honest  talk  with  him  and  tell  him  all,  and  let  him 
decide  \  She  says,  "  No,  no,  no  I  It  would  only 
make  mischief."  I  have  promised  and  pledged 
all  that  she  asked.  What  will  the  end  be  ?  She 
looks  very  sad  and  puzzled.  Her  eyes  look  like 
tears,  and  she  is  so  tender  and  gentle  with  me. 
I  think  she  is  an  angel ;  I  will  always  obey  and 
love  her.  She  sent  my  dearest  one,  my  joy,  these 
words.  They  will  freeze  him  dead.  I  am  so 
afraid  of  something.  Will  he  kill  himself?  O, 
my  dear,  great  God,  help  me ! 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  29! 

"  SIR  :   I  write  to  say  to  you  that  all  intercourse 

between   you    and    my  ward,   Lily    H ,  must 

cease  now  and  forever.  Believe  me  when  I  say 
that  if  you  knew  the  whole  truth  you  would  thank 
me.  But  I  have  no  right  to  divulge  her  secret. 
It  must  die  with  her.  Yours,  ." 

May  i. — It  was  a  great  comfort  to  me,  when  I 
had  been  in  this  place  some  weeks,  to  receive  this 
letter.  She  said  that  she  had  so  much  confidence 
in  me  that  she  would  send  it,  although  it  might 
not  be  wise.  I  have  read  it  over  and  over : 

"  MRS.  B :   I  have  never  seen  you,  but  you 

must  be  a  very  peculiar  woman  to  do  what  you 
are  doing.  How  dare  you  ?  Lily's  history  is 
nothing  to  me.  I  do  not  care  where  she  came 
from.  I  will  find  her.  The  business  of  my  life 
is  to  find  her,  and  I  can  and  will  influence  her  to 
marry  me  at  once.  I  am  honest  with  you,  and  if 
you  are  wise  you  will  be  honest  with  me.  I  have 
history  enough  for  both  myself  and  my  wife  to 
be — Lily.  Yours,  — ." 

"My  DEAR  WARD:  I  send  letter.  I  am  fully 
trusting  you.  I  think  too  much  of  your  delicate, 


2Q2  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

sensitive,  high-toned  nature,  and  of  the  dear  one 
you  might  have,  to  let  you  take  this  step.     God 
is  a  sufficiency  for  you.     Rest  in  him  and  me. 
"  My  dear,  dear  child,  I  love  you. 

"  MRS.  B ." 

How  is  it  that  all  this  suffering  comes  from 
my  being  born  wrong  ?  I  don't  know  why.  But 
now  everything,  all  my  life  long,  must  go  wrong. 
What  do  I  care  for  music  or  art  ?  What  do  I 
care  for  all  these  luxuries  ?  I  am  dead,  and,  what 
is  worse  than  all,  I  am  killing  him  by  inches. 
Sin :  who  can  see  the  end  of  it  ?  There  is  nothing 
left  but  God,  God,  God!  I  wonder  if  I  could 
prevent  some  one  else  such  suffering  by  going 
back  to  my  people  where  I  was  born,  and  give 
them  the  knowledge  God  has  given  me  ? 


LETTER. 

"  Jime,  — . 

"Mv  DEAR  GRACIE  :  William  is  here.  He  has 
found  me.  I  have  told  him  all,  and  he  said, 
'Humbug!'  I  love  you;  we  can  keep  our  own 
secret  and  trust  the  future.  We  were  married 
this  morning;  are  just  off  for  home.  Come  and 
see  us.  God  be  praised  !" 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  293 


TO  MRS.  D -,  IN  PHILADELPHIA. 

I  KNOW  a  woman,  a  queenly  woman  ; 

Her  name  to  you  may  be  unknown  ; 
Broad  her  domain,  and  vast  her  reign, 

And  her  heart  is  her  golden  throne. 

It  is  goldened  by  light,  it  is  goldened  by  love, 
It  is  goldened  by  blessings  shed  ; 

Her  loving  light  and  her  light  of  love 
Make  a  crown  for  the  sufferer's  head, 

She  dwells  in  her  home  of  palatial  build, 

But  feels  for  other's  woes ; 
The  riches  of  time  have  no  power  to  gild  ; 

Christ's  life  in  her  soul  makes  it  so. 

Yes,  down  in  her  soul  eternity's  bell 

Chimes  anthems  of  God's  love  and  truth; 

For  in  its  deep  cell  the  Godhead  doth  dwell, 
Such  glory  has  unspeakable  worth. 


STORY  OF  THE  LITTLE  WHITE  BABY. 

THE  little  white  baby  was  born  in  Texas.  The 
yellow  mother  left  Louisiana  a  slave  and  came 
back — the  babe  in  her  arms — a  freed  woman,  own- 
ing her  own  child.  This  was  a  serious  charge  to 
her ;  no  land,  no  shelter,  no  food,  no  massa,  no 
father  to  her  child. 

The  United  States  had  bigger  problems  on  its 
hands  than  yellow-skinned  babies.  Yet  by  its 


2Q4  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

power  the  starved  mother  was  buried,  and  the 
little  waif  was  taken  down  on  an  Abraham  Lin- 
coln boat  and  housed  and  cared  for  at  New 
Orleans,  But  some  thanks  are  also  due  to  a  big- 
souled  man  from  foreign  shores.  The  little  one 
grew  apace,  and  the  white  lady  of  the  boat  placed 
her  in  the  hands  of  a  kind  lady  at  the  North,  who 
watched  carefully  after  her  education. 

Some  years  after,  with  a  diploma  in  her  hands 
from  a  first-class  school,  she  returned  as  mission- 
ary to  her  native  land.  The  tidal  wave  of  North- 
ern sympathy  had  somewhat  receded.  Through 
the  death  of  her  patrons  her  salary  was  cut  off, 
and  her  private  school  was  not  remunerative. 
Poverty  was  written  all  over  the  State.  It  was  a 
fearful  struggle  ;  no  one  but  the  All-Father  knew 
about  it.  It  required  great  faith  to  take  hold  of 
the  Eternal  at  such  times. 

Nothing  touched  bottom.  In  that  place  at  that 
time  the  good  men  lost  their  footing  or  hid  away 
from  public  gaze,  abiding  their  time.  Everything 
seemed  to  drift.  Many,  many  prayers  went  up  to 
God  through  the  thick  darkness. 

Young  and  inexperienced  Lida  married  a  man 
of  her  own  color.  He  owned  a  house,  a  few  acres 
of  land,  and  a  span  of  mules.  Without  any  edu- 


AND    AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE.  295 

cation  he  seemed  to  have  some  intelligence. 
They  settled  in  his  cozy  little  home.  I  saw  her 
at  this  time.  She  was  a  fair-sized  woman,  tall 
and  graceful,  her  wavy  hair  drawn  plainly  over 
her  forehead  and  coiled  low  on  her  neck.  Her 
eyes  were  large,  brown,  and  soft,  with  long  lashes, 
and  a  timid  askant  look  in  their  depths.  She  was 
very,  very  retiring.  About  this  time  somebody 
seemed  to  get  a  hold  on  their  property.  Things 
did  not  prosper.  Her  husband  cared  not  for 
books  and  took  to  rough  ways.  He  was  much 
put  out  about  some  help  that  he  had  to  receive 
from  a  white  man  who  was  high  in  authority  in  a 
neighboring  town,  and  came  and  went  as  though 
he  had  a  right  in  that  humble  home.  Mrs.  Lida 
was  given  a  place  in  the  public  school  as  teacher. 
Many  comforts  began  to  make  their  appearance 
in  her  home.  One  little  babe  after  another — even 
whiter  than  their  mother — came  to  their  home, 
and  their  wants  were  all  supplied.  She  was  a 
beautiful,  well-dressed  woman  as  I  saw  her  com- 
ing and  going  to  her  school  on  a  pony  with  her 
babe  in  her  lap  and  other  little  ones  clinging  on 
behind.  She  never  answered  my  salutation,  nor 
raised  her  eyes  to  mine.  The  next  I  knew  she 
was  dead  and  the  little  ones  were  left  motherless. 


296  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

Is  this  a  sad  story?  Is  it  not  sadder  to  know 
that  this  family  of  innocents  are  running  wild 
like  colts,  not  being  educated  by  any  one  ?  Do 
what  we  will,  some  hidden  power  keeps  them 
out  of  school.  So  far  no  culture,  no  enlighten- 
ment. By  and  by  God  will  give  them  to  us.  He 
has  the  power,  and  in  time  will  manifest  himself. 
I  believe  he  holds  that  woman  guiltless,  and  he 
will  give  her  darling  children  what  she  so  prized 
— a  Christian  education. 


NOTES   ABOUT    THE    TEMPERANCE   SOCIETY. 

OF  all  levers  used  to  raise  the  uncivilized  from 
"  a  dead  level  to  a  living  perpendicular "  the 
power  to  help  others  is  the  first,  last,  and  greatest. 
It  is  the  first  ennobling  thought  of  the  awakening 
mind,  the  first  breeze  to  ripple  the  hitherto  slug- 
gish waters  of  a  selfish  heart,  the  first  step  toward 
soul  liberty. 

The  uneducated,  undisciplined,  unenlightened, 
child  of  the  wilderness,  placed  by  ambitious  par- 
ents-under  school  training,  learns  with  weary 
effort  to  spell  b-a-k-e-r,  and  multiply  by  five; 
then,  perceiving  no  utility  in  this,  and  longing  for 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  2Q7 

the  freedom  of  the  past,  droops  and  mopes  and,  if 
not  helped,  rebels. 

But  if  at  this  crisis  the  child  is  given  an  oppor- 
tunity of  practically  helping  some  one  else  with 
this  same  knowledge  the  face  is  lifted  joyfully 
toward  God's  sunshine  and  the  hands  stretched 
out  for  more. 

For  this  reason  the  temperance  work  is  one  of 
the  greatest  uplifting  powers  in  the  elevation  of 
mankind  toward  God. 

Young  people  who  have  shown  no  marks 
of  progress,  and  seemed  beyond  uplifting,  have 
suddenly  blossomed  forth  in  strength  and  beauty 
under  the  influence  of  this  cause.  Weak  ones 
have  developed  amazing  strength  in  fighting  for 
the  salvation  of  their  erring  brothers,  and  resist- 
ing temptation  for  their  sake.  Timid  ones  have 
forgotten  their  timidity  in  their  earnest  desire 
to  lend  a  hand,  and  even  stammering  ones  have 
dared  to  speak  for  the  cause  at  the  risk  of  their 
own  shame. 

Other  enterprises  may  be  neglected,  other 
meetings  fail,  but  when  it  comes  to  the  temper- 
ance work  our  boys  and  girls  "  strike  twelve " 

13* 


298  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

every  lime.  Nothing  is  too  hard  to  overcome  for 
this  cause,  nothing  too  formidable  to  be  under- 
taken. 

"  Never  you  min',''  said  one  girl,  "  I  ain't  so 
much  of  a  reader,  an'  I  can't  make  no  address, 
but  I'll  learn  a  piece  an'  speak  it,  you  see  ef  I 
don't." 

And  she  did,  too,  and  she  did  it  well,  even 
though  she  called  total  abstinence  "  tall  tail  abase- 
ment," to  our  amusement. 

"John  say  he'll  sign  de  pledge  ef  I  do,"  said  a 
boy,  bound  hand  and  foot  by  the  tobacco  habit ; 
and  after  many  weeks  of  hard  fighting  he  saw, 
with  pride,  both  of  the  names  on  the  pledge  roll. 
After  that  but  one  thought  seemed  to  possess 
him.  With  a  gentle  hand  on  his  schoolmates' 
shoulders  and  tender  words  in  their  ears  he 
brought  them  in,  until  a  long  list  of  names  fol- 
lowed his.  But  the  most  amazing  thing  was  the 
way  his  own  character  developed.  The  earnest- 
ness displayed  toward  others,  and  the  tenderness 
used  to  persuade  them,  took  root  in  his  soul  and 
grew.  So  it  ever  is.  Just  so  far  as  the  heart  be- 
comes absorbed  in  the  well-being  of  others  it 
gathers  good  to  itself. 

In  almost  all  instances  the  pledge  has  been  the 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  299 

stepping-stone  to  religious  faith  ;  and  in  every 
case  which  has  come  under  our  jurisdiction — 
with  one  exception — the  pledge  has  preceded 
conversion. 

One  of  the  most  amusing  and  perplexing  inci- 
dents connected  with  this  part  of  the  work  was 
the  addition  of  legal  suasion  to  the  constitution. 
A  committee  appointed  for  the  business  drafted 
a  new  constitution  throughout,  and  this  document 
so  met  the  approbation  of  the  society  that  it  was 
adopted  by  a  unanimous  rising  vote.  Then,  to 
our  consternation,  half  of  the  members,  including 
all  of  the  officers,  refused  to  sign  it.  Arguments 
and  persuasions  proved  alike  fruitless. 

The  solution  of  the  problem  came  from  an  un- 
expected quarter.  It  was  found  that  the  com- 
mittee on  badges  had  procured  crank-pins.  The 
chairman  of  this  committee  bought  a  bolt  of  blue 
ribbon,  and  after  decorating  all  who  had  signed 
the  constitution  with  both  ribbon  and  pin,  ex- 
plained that  the  ribbon  meant  simply  keeping  the 
pledge,  but  that  the  pin  meant  political  Prohibition, 
and  signing  the  constitution. 

The  chaplain  of  the  society,  a  man  who  had 
just  reached  voting  age,  looked  longingly  at  the 
pins  and  whispered,  "  May  I  turn  Republican  again 


3OO  GILBERT  ACADEMY 

when  the  liquor  is  all  out  of  the  United  States?" 
Lo !  the  cat  was  out  of  the  bag.  Here  was  the 
cause  of  all  the  trouble.  He  was  assured  that  he 
could  turn  whatever  he  pleased  when  the  cranks 
had  turned  all  of  the  liquor  out  of  our  country. 
He  donned  his  pin  with  pride,  and  before  the 
meeting  was  out  all  but  one  name  graced  our 
constitution. 

Several  auxiliary  societies  have  been  formed  by 
the  students  in  their  own  homes.  The  first  one  in 
Hubertville,  in  1889,  28  members;  the  second  in 
Glencoe,  in  1890;  the  third  in  Paterson,  in  1891, 
34  members.  During  the  summer  of  1892  three 
were  formed,  and  nine  silver  medal  contests 
held.  The  society  at  Shreveport  numbers  57 
members,  at  Morgan  City  42,  at  Opelousas  52. 

The  Demorest  Medals  have  been  an  unspeak- 
able help  to  us.  Our  students  have  held  two 
contests  at  Paterson,  two  at  Glencoe,  one  each  at 
Morgan  City,  Baldwin,  New  Iberia,  Opelousas, 
and  Shreveport.  Mr.  Demorest  will  never  know, 
until  he  reaches  eternity,  how  much  his  gifts 
have  done  toward  bringing  our  girls  and  boys  to 
the  planes  of  higher  living.  Our  auxiliaries  are 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  30! 

apt  to  suspend  during  the  school  months.  The 
young  people  are  learning  how  to  do  the  work 
themselves,  but  they  have  not  yet  learned  how  to 
set  others  at  work  so  that  things  will  run  when  they 
are  absent.  They  are,  as  a  usual  thing,  conscien- 
tious about  the  pledge,  owning  up  when  they  have 
broken  it,  and  succeeding  better  the  next  time. 
Not  counting  some  of  the  boys,  who  are  bound 
by  the  tobacco  habit  and  have  not  the  strength  to 
break  their  bonds,  our  students  keep  the  pledge 
remarkably  well. 


WAITING. 

I  KNOW  a  girl,  a  lovely  girl, 
She  stands  on  the  border  land  ; 

She  waits  for  the  world  the  flag  to  unfurl 
Which  shall  marshal  freedom's  band. 

So  straight  and  tall,  like  eagle's  eye, 

Her  own  with  ardor  glows ; 
She  was  not  born  in  palace  high, 

Nor  bleached  by  Northern  snows. 

She  rests  herself  with  lightest  foot, 
On  realms  she  doth  not  sway ; 

With  tear-laden  lids  and  anxious  look 
She  holds  the  world  at  bay. 

Her  heart  is  full  of  quivering  love, 

So  deep,  so  sweet,  so  clear, 
As  white  and  pure  as  the  gentle  dove 

Who  came  from  the  other  sphere. 


3O2  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

Her  lip  has  a  curl  of  saddest  scorn 
For  the  love  at  her  feet  oft  laid  ; 

In  the  upper  realm  it  was  not  born, 
And  it  brings  but  grief  to  the  maid. 

Yet  still  her  heart  is  strong  and  true, 
And  in  its  warmest  depth  is  seated 

The  rhythmic  love  of  a  household  few, 
Tho'  from  a  grimy  cabin  meted. 

A  mother  frail,  a  sister  blind 
Is  all  this  cabin's  treasure  ; 

A  weaker  duo  's  hard  to  find, 
Or  deeper  love  to  measure. 

She  gazes  forth  to  promised  land, 

Her  spirit  all  so  eager ; 
Her  body  worn  with  care  and  toil, 

Her  earnings  scant  and  meager. 

And  thus  upon  the  border  land 
This  dusky  sister  standing — 

Has  she  a  hope  from  any  plan  ? 
A  chance  for  any  landing  ? 

With  Anglo  eyes  of  hazel  blue, 
A  skin  of  creamy  yellow; 

Is  Uncle  Sam  her  uncle  too  ? 
With  big  heart  soft  and  mellow  ? 

Now  in  this  chill  of  midnight  time, 
In  God's  great  silence  waiting; 

Hears  she  the  word  of  sweet  command, 
All  human  discord  'bating. 

And  thus  alone  on  border  land, 
In  God's  own  circle  standing, 

"  To  the  least  of  these  a  helping  hand," 
Is  this  of  God's  commanding  ? 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  303 

GENERAL    SHOWING    OF    RESULTS    OF    ELEVEN 
YEARS. 

I.  PROPERTY. — In    1881   if  the  entire  property 
had  been  offered  for  sale  it  would  have  been  diffi- 
cult, if  not  impossible,  to  realize  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars.    Now,  1892,  it  is  held  to  be  worth,  at  a  con- 
servative estimate,  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 

II.  BUILDINGS. — In  1881  there  was  naught  but 
a  ruin,  a  mass  of  fallen  bricks  and   timbers,  be- 
side a  one  story  brick  store,  14  by  16  feet,  which 
had  once  been  a  porter's  lodge,  a  sorry  relic  of  an 
unhappy  past,  a  burrow  for  rats  beneath,  a  refuge 
for  snakes  above.     Now  there   is   no  plantation 
store,  but    six  good  and   commodious  buildings, 
namely : 

1.  Gilbert     Hall,     a    dormitory     for    females, 
erected  with  Mr.  Gilbert's  first  donation. 

2.  The    Chapel,    the    reconstructed     Orphans' 
Home,  now  about  one  half  the  size  of  the  old 
building.     It  is,  however,  a  large  building,  90  by 
41,  and  two  stories  in  height.     It  contains  within 
it,  beside  ample  hallways  or  corridors,  the  chapel, 
58  by  40  ;  library,  18  by  22  ;  reading  room,  18  by 
20,  and  five  recitation  rooms  of  ample  size. 

3.  Smith  Hall,  so    named    from    Mr.    Charles 


304  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

B.  Smith,  a  prominent  and  wealthy  citizen  of 
Hartford,  Conn.,  who  was  the  largest  contributor 
toward  the  cost  of  the  building.  This  is  the 
dormitory  for  males,  of  the  same  size  as  Gilbert 
Hall,  72  by  38,  two  stories,  and  of  the  same  archi- 
tectural pattern. 

4.  Connected  with  Gilbert   Hall  are:   (i)  The 
dining  hall,  50  by  31,  two  stories.     The  first  floor 
is  of  the  entire  dimensions  of  the  building,  and 
makes    the   dining    room    wherein    one   hundred 
and   fifty  persons   may   sit    at  the    table   at    one 
time  without  inconvenience.       The  second  floor 
comprises  eight  rooms,  additional  dormitory  for 
ladies.     (2)  The  kitchen  and  bakery,  near  the  din- 
ing hall,  and  connected  by  gallery. 

5.  The  Industrial  Building,  erected   with  Mr. 
Gilbert's  second  donation  for  buildings.     It  com- 
prises :   (i)   Printing  office,  of  three  rooms,  with 
an  excellent    outfit  of   types,    presses,  etc.      (2) 
Carpentry  shop,  one  large  room,  30  by  30,  well 
equipped    with    benches,  desks,   hand-power,  ma- 
chines, and  tools.      (3)  Sewing  room,  30  by  20, 
with  two  sewing  machines.     (4)   Large  room  for 
storage  of  finished  work. 

6.  The  Farm  Building,  large  and  convenient, 
devoted  to  granaries,  stables,  and  sheds. 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  305 

III.  FENCES. — There  were  none,  in   1881,  that 
would  stand  a  lively  wind,  and  none  at  all  capa- 
ble of  protecting  crops.     Mules  and  steers  went 
hither  and  yon  at  their  pleasure.     Now  all  is  well 
inclosed,  chiefly  with  barbed  wire,  and  live  stock 
can  go  only  where  they  are  permitted. 

IV.  LAND.— The  greater  part  of  the  land  after 
the  war,  and  until  1881,  had  either  lain  dormant, 
uncultivated,  or  had  been  simply  scratched  over 
enough  to  waste  its  substance  without  apprecia- 
ble production  of  crops.     Now  the  arable  land  is 
thoroughly  taken  up.      One  part  is  in  the  plot  of 
the  village  of  Winsted,  so  named  after  Winsted, 
Conn.     Another  part  is  cultivated  in  corn,  cane, 
potatoes,  etc.     Another  part  is  cultivated  chiefly 
in  rice.     There  are  about  five  hundred  acres  of 
swamp  land,  which  is  very  valuable,  abounding  in 
cypress  and  other  timber,  that    must    ultimately 
come    to    market.      For   valuation    of  property, 
vide  page  159. 

V.  EDUCATIONAL  RESULTS. — About  two  thou- 
sand  different   persons   have  been  instructed    in 
Gilbert  Academy  and  Agricultural  College  in  the 
past  eleven  years.     Sixty  intelligent  and  worthy 
young  men  and  women  have  been  graduated  in 
the  grammar    course.     There  have   been  taught 


3OO  GILBERT    ACADEMY 

from  two  to  five  years  each  in  printing,  60 ;  car- 
pentry, 72  ;  agriculture,  70 ;  needlework,  300 ; 
baking  of  bread,  6  ;  laundry  work,  180. 

There  are  in  advanced  and  responsible  posi- 
tions as  preachers,  teachers,  officeholders,  me- 
chanics and  farmers,  35.  Many  others  in  useful 
work,  and  leading  honorable  lives. 

VI.  MORAL  AND  RELIGIOUS  RESULTS. — These 
cannot  readily  be  stated  numerically.  The  ma- 
jority of  our  students  have  received  the  grace  of 
conversion  and  are  leading  worthy  lives.  Two 
hundred  of  them  have  become  staunch  advocates 
and  exemplars  of  total  abstinence,  and  by  their 
efforts  in  propagating  temperance  truths  and 
organizing  societies,  have  probably  as  much  as 
duplicated  their  number  of  converts  to  temper- 
ance. 

The  Gospel  Mission  has  made  a  good  record  in 
the  fight  against  popular  vices  and  in  saving 
souls. 

Trinity  Church,  Rev  E.  B.  Richards,  pastor, 
numbers  about  seventy-five  members  besides  the 
students,  and  is  a  power  for  righteousness  in  the 
community. 

St.  James  Church,  two  miles  away,  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Tircuit,  pastor,  is  an  efficient  colaborer  in 


AND    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE.  307 

the  vineyard.  Started  as  a  mission  of  Trinity 
Church,  it  is  rapidly  growing  to  the  numbers  and 
influence  of  an  equal  to  the  mother  church. 

The  Baptist  Church,  of  which  the  Rev.  J.  T. 
B.  Labau  is  pastor,  numbers  about  three  hun- 
dred members,  and  is  a  very  powerful  organiza- 
tion. The  pastor,  one  of  the  early  fruits  of  our 
institution,  is  a  man  of  pure  life,  of  great  talent, 
and  one  of  the  ablest  ministers  of  his  denomina- 
tion in  Louisiana. 

All  these  agencies  centered  about  one  locality, 
and,  cooperating,  are  making  a  good  record 
against  the  kingdom  of  darkness  and  for  the 
kingdom  of  light. 


THE    END. 


ACADEMIC,  INDUSTRIAL, 

CHRISTIAN,  NONSECTARIAN. 


29  TEACHERS. 

farm.  &-    —$£-    -^  Sbope. 


QILBEI^T 


AND 


WlNSTEt), 

-*  4oo  Students. 


PROTESTANTS, 

ROMAN  CATHOLICS. 


All  are  required  to  work.  All  glad  to  work. 

Extra  time  8  cents  per  hour. 
1 


GILBERT  ACADEMY. 

Support  comes  from  the  John  F.  Slater  Trust,  the  Freedmen's  Aid  and 
Southern  Education  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  the 
Public  School  Fund  of  the  Parish  St.  Mary. 

Because  of  the  obligation  to  fulfill  the  trust  of  the  Orphans'  Home 
in  the  maintenance  and  education  of  Orphan  Children;  because  of 
the  cooperation  of  the  directors  of  the  Public  Schools  5  and  because 
of  the  number  of  Christian  Churches  represented  by  students  and 
teachers — this  institution  has  always  been  avowedly,  purposely, 
and  actually  NONSECTARIAN,  making  no  proselytes,  teaching 
Christian  morality  and  redemption. 

We,  the  undersigned,  having  investigated  and  being  conversant  with  the 
facts,  are  profoundly  impressed  with  the  merits  of  this  vigorous  institution 
and  its  prospects.  We  confidently  appeal  in  its  behalf  to  a  generous 
people. 

RUTHERFORD  B.  HAYES, 

Ex- President  United  States. 

ATTICUS  G.  HATGOOD, 

Bishop   Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  and  recently  Agent  John  F.  Slater 
Fund. 

WILLARD  F.  MALLAJLIEU, 

Bishop  MetJiodist  Episcopal  Church,  resident  in  New  Orleans. 

J.  C.  HARTZELL, 

Corresponding  Secretary  Freedmen's  Aid  and  Southern  Education  Society. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 


LC    Godman  - 
2852  Gilbert  ac< 

fly\f3      AC^T*^ 

college 


LC 

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